Strawberry Jam

 I was cleaning out  my pantry the other day and came across some sure-jell I had purchased at the end of the season last year.  

Like 99% of the population, homemade strawberry freezer jam is a delicacy I adore.

So yesterday, while he was out running errands,  I asked George to text me the price on strawberries so I could make a batch or two. 

There was a solid deal so I told him to go ahead and get 10 packages.  Only they were the 2 lb packages so suddenly I had 20 pounds of strawberries to use very quickly.  

It also put me a bit over on my grocery budget.  Nothing I couldn’t handle, but just a bit frustrating.

This morning when I got up, there was a message on Facebook that quickly caught my attention.

My good friend battled and beat breast cancer only to then be assaulted by new lesions in her brain.  

In her post she simply said that she hadn’t been able to get the berries to make her freezer jam this year and could she buy some from anyone.  

I knew immediately why I had double berries.  

I quickly typed in this reply:

“We miscommunicated and bought double the strawberries intended.  I guess God knew you needed some.  No cost and I will be making some today and get it to you later this week! 😘”

She replied “Ha! The Lord works in mysterious ways.”

Then I got another text from a coworker who had also seen the jam request.

“I don’t have time to make jam, but I want to help.  Can I pay for the berries and it’s from both of us?”

I think I almost laughed out loud.  She quickly venmoed almost the exact amount I had gone over budget.

And then as I was completing the batches it occurred to me I was making the jam with sugar from someone’s food storage they had shared after George helped them move.

And putting them in cute little jars I bought a couple years ago.  

And I realized that when we come together and serve where and how we can, trusting that He will help us make things out of our offerings, life is even sweeter than strawberry jam.