I think of these gifts that I have been handed: Eyesight, a good mind, an incredible family, leadership abilities, a home, means of providing a good meal, and a connectedness to friends around me.

These numerous gifts make me so grateful. They actually increase my joy to think about them.

Now if I take these gifts and am generous with them, I get so much more in return.

Hospitality can be generated in so many ways. We don’t all share the same passions, so it makes sense that it could be practiced in a variety of ways like:
Sharing from our yard & garden, cooking for teachers at school, volunteer work, ministries at church, in your home, in your neighborhood. Everyone has a place to impact our world in a hospitable way.

Abby and I went to a farewell party a few nights ago. A good friend of hers is moving away and we will feel her loss tremendously. Shelby and Abby have been friends for years, originally meeting through school. When I say to Abby, “friends are like a bouquet of flowers … the more you have, the more beautiful the bouquet is,” one of those beautiful flowers in the bunch would be Shelby.

I decided that we would take some of the remaining strawberries from our abundant crop this year, and teach Abby how to make a pie.

As we spent time in the kitchen washing the strawberries, stemming and cutting them, we made the cookie dough crust (recipe to follow) and I walked Abby through the steps. We also took the opportunity to discuss friendships and the importance of them.

Abby was so excited to take her “strawberry pie” to the event. When Daddy returned from a camping/fishing trip with her brothers, right as we were to leave for the party, he gave strict orders to bring him back a piece of pie!

Hopefully my daughter learned this simple concept through this experience of making a pie: that giving generously (sowing) results in great rewards (reaping) in the form of wonderful friendships, and lesson learned in life.

Yummy Strawberry Pie

Crust:
1 ½ c. flour
1/8 c. sugar
1 tsp. Salt
½ c. oil
2 Tbs. Milk
Whip oil & milk with fork; add dry ingredients. Press into pie pan, flute the edges, and probe with fork. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Glaze:
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
Cook until thick and clear.

Add: 3 Tbs. Strawberry Jello (straight from the package) to the glaze and stir. Cool.

Fill the cooled piecrust with berries. Pour glaze over the top and refridgerate. Eat the same day you make the pie (crust can get soggy if you wait too long).

ENJOY!

(Great friends … Abby, Shelby & Sofia)