April 05, 2008

Cookies

I prefer ‘ministry opportunities’ that give me some flexibility. For instance if I’m ask to provide a vegetable for a funeral dinner, I like being able to decide what vegetable I want to fix. The Prison Ministry needs cookies for an upcoming event and they requested that they be made from scratch rather than store bought because the inmates rarely get homemade treats. Baking cookies does not top my list of favorite things to do. I’d rather make brownies where I can just stir ‘em up, pop ‘em in the oven and it’s done. When I asked the cookie coordinator if I could substitute brownies and he said, “No. We have to have cookies. Not fancy cookies, just plain cookies and lots of them.” I felt I didn’t have the time to make cookies and also write a blog…which is what I really wanted to do. Family members gently, but firmly, reminded me that the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t post a blog. Reluctantly I set aside publishing my daily blog and made my guilted-into-cookies. Sure enough, the sun came up today, the world didn’t end and although I missed Friday’s “deadline”, flexibility also needs to apply to self-imposed rules.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Gail;
-----In my humble opnion, bad decision. My first response to Mr. Needscookies would have been, "I understand the brownie thing, but if no cookies are better than bought cookies, then since I can not bring of the best I do, I will bring of the second best you want. Put me down to bring three dozen no cookies, because you see, I bake brownies, not cookies." It is all well and nice that Mr. Needscookies wants to give the best to these inmates. But maybe your brownies are better than anybody's cookies. And maybe store bought cookies are better then many baked cookies. I know they are better than mine. It sounds to me like either this program pumper has assured his jailed friends little more than second best from the most, or the jailor has store bought cookies for them 24-7. We need to loosen up a little and let the Lord have some control of the talents He has given.

Love,
Steve Corey