It is amazing how well baked-goods would go at the coffeehouse after people would ask, “Is that made from scratch?” and the answer was “yes.” Most of my recipes came from my mother-in-law, her sister-in-law and my Granny.
When I was in kindergarten through second grade, I lived with my Granny and she made my clothes “from scratch.” Unfortunately, she would use whatever material she had laying around the house and sometimes my underwear was made out of flour sacks. I’m not sure if you have ever felt the fabric of flour sacks, but it is very scratchy.
I had to take a school bus to school each day and there were two little boys that were cousins on the bus. Each day they would try to pull the curl out of those banana curls. They would make fun of me mercilessly until I socked one of them in the nose one day. They stopped making fun of me.
First grade came along and we had school all day. That was hard because I liked hanging out with my Granny in the afternoons. She always let me help her roll out the dough for the pies she made daily from scratch and pick the stems off of the green beans she grew in the backyard. But, first grade was interesting.
About a month after school started, a new girl came into our class. By then, everyone had established friendships and had their cliques started. I never was a fan of cliques, even back then. This little girl always wore a headband with a big flower on it and ruffled dresses. I always had dresses on, but sometimes they had a picture of a flower on them advertising baking flour.
I already had quite a few friends in class because of kindergarten and riding the bus with the same kids for the second year. The new girl didn’t ride the bus, her mother dropped her off each day.
I introduced myself to the new girl and showed her where to put her lunch box and coat. I made a point to have her sit with me and my friends at lunch time so she did not have to eat alone. The other girls made fun of her huge headband and ruffled dress. That really made me mad because I remembered what it was like to be made fun of so I let my old friends know that this was my new friend and it was not very nice to make fun of people.
This went along for several weeks until the other girls accepted the new girl and invited her to join them at lunch and at recess. Before I knew it, the new girl was quite popular and started making fun of my “made from scratch” dresses.
I told my Granny about the situation and what had been going on and she told me that my dresses were made from scratch with her two very own hands and with much love. The new girl didn’t even know who made her dresses. Somehow, that made me feel better.
Granny also reminded me that I was “made from scratch” with God’s two very own hands.
David fully understood this concept when he wrote, “You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” Psalm 139:13-16
How special is it to know that you were made very uniquely? Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowds because you have the same beliefs as David. I’m proud to be “made from scratch!”

A Prayer For Every Day..........

My former pastor and my friend wrote this prayer:



Prayer: I know there are many things in this life over which I have no control. Not all things are fair or just in this world. But I look to You for strength to help me with that which I can control... My heart. Since You have brought me to Your side and made me your baptized child, sin no longer has control over me. ...That is the greatest freedom anyone can have. Help me make the best of this new freedom. Help me be the best disciple I can be. Help me discover goals that are pleasing to You. Right now and throughout this day help me to make the next wise choice in life that glorifies You and blesses others as I continue to pray: "Amen, Come Lord Jesus."