Small Blessings

On October 16th, 2009, I woke up early to make some cupcakes. I didn't have time to make my usual cake from scratch so I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items like powdered sugar, and some vanilla cake mix. I have found that store-bought cake mixes aren't that bad if you are in a pinch. They always come out moist & have that signature "birthday cake" flavor. But that is here nor there when it comes to this story.


I was stressed out this day. I was tired, broke,...& honestly I did not want to be making cake. I wanted to be nestled in my bed while my box fan blasted as background noise. But God gave me a little reminder of His grace & love that engergized me for this particular morning.

I went to the baking aisle and gathered my ingredients. Six boxes of Pillsbury cake mix. As I was making my way to the express checkout counter...carefully looking to make judgements of who would be the speediest cashier & swiper...I noticed a farely large black woman in one of those moterized carts looking at me. I had chosen the line to the right of her and I figured she was starring at me thinking.."I should be in that line, she's gonna get checked out before me. "

So I pulled up into my line, where a enthusiastic black woman was helping the other customer infront of me. She was so polite, and just happy, with a big smile on her face, and just talking to her customer like they'd been friends forever. I swear she would have started dancing if there would have been a good ringtone going off.

Well the tired part of me really wanted to be annoyed at this lady for being so full of life so early in the day...but I wasn't. I remember thinking, 'how does she have so much joy right now...oh she must be a believer.' I could sense Christ's love pouring from her & it tickled me.

Well at this point I noticed that other big woman in the next line was still starring at me. I thought, man she really wants my place in line. And as I got greeted with a very joyful welcome by my cashier, the large black woman got my cashiers attention and handed her some paper & pointed at me.

She had given me 6 coupons for Pillsbury cake mix, knocking the price down to .40 cents each. My cashier seemed as thrilled as I was saying, "well look at that, look at that." I kept thanking the lady from a distance realizing now, what all the starring had meant. She wanted to give me something I didn't even know I wanted...or deserved.

Me and my cashier were now discussing the small, but great gift of this annonomous stranger's generousity.


I said, "Well talk about being at the right place at the right time."


I paused & said, "Small blessings."


She looked at me and announced, "You must know the Lord." in a kindered excitement.


I responded with a smile, "I do."


She gave me a high five and said "yep, there's no such thing as coincedences. The Lord is good. Isn't He good!"


I told her, " I knew you knew Him before I even talked with you, I could just tell."


"Our spirits are intune with eachother's. That's right. Isn't that something!"...as she kept shaking her head and smiling from ear to ear.


"I know, I know; you can just tell." I affirmed.

I'm sure the people behind me were like, what are these two crazy ladies talking about...and why are they so giddy with excitment...all it is, is a few dang coupons. Well all I can say is her joy woke me up from my slumber and got me out of my bad mood...& then the faithfullness & grace of God blessed me with something so simple but wonderful as $2.40 off of cake mix from a complete stranger...that I and this check out lady were filled with the holy spirit & just so thrilled to glorify God in those few moments of His devine intervention.

I can't make this stuff up. It's just so cool how God plans every last detail. From me arriving to the grocery store at that exact time... picking out 6 ..cake mixes...to coming to the line just in time for that woman to give me 6 cake mix coupons...not just any coupons..but the brand of mix I had, Pillsbury...to having me have a spirit filled conversation with a sister in Christ...someone to witness and experience that small blessing with me and not let it go unnoticed, cause He knows how much I get a kick out of that.

I mean what if I had gotten there 1 minute later...or I picked out Duncan Hines cake mix instead of Pillsbury...or I needed 10 instead of 6...or I had chose to go to the 3rd line over instead of the 2nd one. I mean seriously................................it's got God's name & creativity & Jesus's love & selflessness written all over it. WOW. If you let God be cool, he sure does define the word for you in ways you just can't think up on your own & ways you don't even know will thrill you. Take notice & seek it, and He will show up.

As I left I said "thank-you so much" to the woman in the moterized cart one last time. I got in my car and started driving down the highway..and kept kicking myself as to why I didn't go over and give that woman a huge hug because I so wanted to, or helped her to her car. I prayed that I would run into her again...so hopefully I'll be at Walmart one day and I can return God's love that she showed to me.

So even though I was tired and being a brat in the morning, God showed up & I noticed. He gave me another glimpse of who He is and humbly reminded me that I don't deserve that person's kind gesture, He gave it to me anyways because of His grace & love. And I thought...omg, i'ts just like how He gave His son as a gift to me to take away my sin & brokeness, hurt, constant search for this freedom & fullfillment, so I could really reunite with God.

And taking it to the next level I thought....It would have been rude of me to say..."No thank you...I don't need your coupons...I have enough money, I can pay for it myself." Of course not...I choose to take it, cause it's FREE, it benefits me, & it is this act of accepting another's love simply because they are giving it to us out of love that makes sense to our heart...accepting this coupon called grace, a gift I don't deserve....JESUS CHRIST's SACRAFICE. By accepting the coupon, I am returing love to the giver...saying I appreciate your gesture & I need & want your love in my life....I want that $2.40 off my cake mix...and I didn't even realize it until after I accepted your coupon. How nieve & silly of me to wonder why you were starring at me...when you just wanted to give me a gift. (do you see where I'm goin with this?)

God put's these random senarios all around us, all the time, all woven in each and every one of our lives to get our attention, to show who He is & that He wants you. He is just waiting for us to accept His coupon...accept His Son....So that He can be re-united to us & pour own more and more and more of his limitless love. Just take notice. Keep your eyes peeled & your hearts open...ask, wait and watch it unfold....because He is starring down from heaven at each one of us...trying to give us His Coupon.

Just had to share that story, it made my morning and the rest of the day for that matter.

There is nothing quite like......small blessings.

Later Gators
~AShley Marie

Have a sweet day and be filled with His sweet spirit.

Halloween Treats

My favorite Holiday, Halloween, was here and gone. Talk about a busy one. I made a few treats for some customers. Check them out:

Cake Pops for all of you home-bakers out there, are really tasty, cute, and fun to eat....but...they are kind of a whipping to make. First you have to make your cake, then freeze it into balls, then instert the stick with chocolate, then freeze again, then dip the whole ball into chocolate...let dry...then decorate! So if you have some time they are worth it, but for a quick treat I recommend the good old fashioned cupcakes.


I started off Halloween Day at a Watermark Retreat for Community Groups. We went down Friday night to Frisco & stayed at the Embassey Suites Hotel. Open, Airy, Colorful, Cozy Beds & a great Breakfast Buffet...they have an Omlette Bar (I highly reccomend it).


Basically a 'community group' is a group of followers of Christ, that join together in order to spur eachother on to grow in your relationship with Jesus, to keep each other accountable in everyday life, & love, support, & encourage eachother through the good and the ugly. We meet once a week (not counting just hanging out on the weekends) to pray together, read the Word, dicuss life & the Lord and how He's working on our life, and to talk about the hard stuff and confess whatever has been on our hearts.

My group is made of 6 lovely ladies: Charme, Johnna, Kylee, Summer, & Missy, and Me. We went to this conference, not only to worship & better our comunity group goals, but also to spend quality time with eachother. So on Halloween morning...like 6:30 morning...we got ready, went downstairs & ate from the very long line of the breakfast buffet, went & listened to a few great speakers on how to disciple one another, we went to a couple seminars on topics like "How to have the Hard Conversations" & "How to Make an Impact in the Kingdom of Heaven." They had little candy bowls on each table. Hands kept reaching for it, while also hearing the unwapping of the plastic coverings during the Speakers presentation...Halloween was on the tips of our tougnes...literally.


After the conference we were all super tired, but Charmes boyfriend, Robert, was coaching the Covenant Football Team in Dallas & they were going up against a long undefeated team of Greenville. Covenant had been undefeated for the season and had a great chance of conquering Greenville. He wanted us there for support, and I love going to football games, & plus it was a bright sunny day.


 After all our hoopin' & hollerin' & banging my boots on the bleacher stands to make extra noise, and Johnna praying for us "to be Humble WINNERS"...the Covenant team lost by TWO points: 28-30. Which shouldn't of happened because the ref called a faulty touchdown as good for the other team...but oh well...we won't go there haha. But what really stuck out to me all day, was both teams graciousness to winning & losing. At the end of the game after the teams shook hands they all gathered around the 50 yard line in a great big circle, coaches included.

Jersey & Polo Shirt colors mixed with Red, Black & Green together. They bowed their heads & prayed for a long time. I wanted to be a bumble bee on one of the players helmets, so I could listen to what they were saying to our Father, the Lord. But my ears were yards away from them, & the prayer was lost  in the wind & sent up to heaven only to be heard by our God. I wonder what would happen if we all took this humble stance in life with all of our victories & losses. Maybe in the end in heaven the Dallas Cowboys will be mixed together with Eagle & Redskin Jersey's. It was a truely great game & an even greater ending.

Afterwards I rushed home to give a client some cake pops. She also is doing my apron monograming for the next Icing & Aprons photo shoot. I couldn't help but dig into all the chocolate candy bars my mom had in a bowl for the Trick or Treat Kids. I think I tried every flavor.


We all decided for Halloween to get dressed up and go to dinner. Kylee got to my house around 6 and we started peicing together RANDOM bits from my old halloween costumes & she transformed into a Biker Chick. I was a Strat Guitar. I borrowed my costume from my very good friend Katie. We were ready & it was time to rock & roll.

We met Johnna (the gypsey) & Charme (the cowgirl) up at the Harbor for lots of chips & salsa at Glorias. After our picuture session...the guys joined us. We were all playing our characters part. Johnna was reading people's hands, Charme was tipping her cowboy hat, Kylee was talkin' in a new york accent, & I was tuning my guitar asking what song everyone wanted me to play. We each gave eachother names:

• Johnna: Ezmerelda
• Kylee: Rizzo
• Charme: Piper
• Me: Roxi

We laughed, and played 'senario,' & just enjoyed eachother's company. It was the best Halloween I've had in a long time. After we went back to my place to play pool...well the guys played pool that is.

All in All it was a Hap Hap Happy Halloween!

I Wish it was EVERYDAY!!

Oh & we carved pumpkins too the other weekend...so fun.

Have a sweet day and be filled with His sweet spirit.