"Cookie Therapy"

Our life has been filled with ups and downs this last week as far as health issues and Dr. appointments and PT appointments and sleepless nights and pain.  It started to wear a bit thin emotionally around here.  I felt I needed to do something useful to stop feeling useless...as that is how I was feeling.

You know by now that I'm never feeling that I do as much as I should for others.  I'm always measuring myself and finding myself wanting.  I don't drop by homes for a visit or take goodies or any of those deeds that I see others doing...in what seems to me- a constant flow of giving/serving. True, there are private conversations but I'm not a food giver it seems.  Remember my bread give away attempt?  Then I stop making bread for some unexplainable reason.  True also...cooking seems to be a challenging chore and not some relaxing fun event for me at this point in my mortal trek.  Until....cookies!  PeanutButterCookies.  I told my SweetHubby I could share PB cookies!

This sounded like a great idea to him as he knows he will get munchies also!

So... I baked some PB Cookies from my ages old recipe.  Yummy!  And dropped some off and felt a warm fuzzy!  Not for the deed done but in a small way I let them know I was thinking of them.  Hopefully they felt that love.

"Cookie Therapy"--Maybe I've found something I can consistently do?  Please don't laugh.  You know I'm always trying!!

Sometimes when you decide to do something you find something, along the way, that you take as a confirmation you are on the right track...and that is what happened.  Ironic? Coincidence?  or Affirmation????  Did you remember this story, by Elder Stevenson, from Conference?  The article even has a picture of PeanutButter Cookies!!  It showed up the very next day!

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When we’re paralyzed by fear, disappointments, and just the wrongs that happen as a result of mortality, it’s easy to feel justified in focusing on ourselves.

But spiritual power to overcome fear doesn’t come in wallowing, self-pity, and inaction. It comes through action and often looking outside of yourself.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson shared a story of how his wife taught this principle while they were presiding over the Japan Nagoya Mission.

When missionaries would come to them filled with fear and doubts, Sister Stevenson would apply her “cookie therapy.”  She would give the missionaries ingredients to make cookies and the instruction to bake a batch every morning. Then, she told them to deliver the cookies each day to someone who needed them. As simple as the “cookie therapy” was, it worked wonders.

Elder Stevenson said very often, the act of thinking about someone else cured the missionary of his or her fears.

“The warm, golden glow that accompanies service and selflessness has the power to melt away doubts and fears.”

I got a kick out of this picture!  Just like me!

Going back to the optimistic counsel from President Hinckley:
It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is.
It all works out. Don’t worry. …
The Lord will not forsake us.
He will not forsake us.
If we will put our trust in Him,
if we will pray to Him,
if we will live worthy of His blessings,
He will hear our prayers.

God doesn’t want us to fail. Because of Jesus Christ, no failure is final. No fear in this mortal life need paralyze us. Faith can overcome fear. And if we trust that it does, we can move forward knowing that in the end, “it will all work out.”   

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Why It Will All Work Out -- link here