{"id":2019,"date":"2021-09-21T23:51:50","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T23:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/?p=2019"},"modified":"2022-08-04T16:17:08","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T20:17:08","slug":"everything-and-the-kitchen-sink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/everything-and-the-kitchen-sink\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything and the Kitchen Sink"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2019\" class=\"elementor elementor-2019\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b145701 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b145701\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3287e46\" data-id=\"3287e46\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9066ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d9066ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201cCasting all your cares [<em>all your anxieties, all your worries and all your concerns, once and for all<\/em>] on Him, for he cares about you [<em>with deepest affection,and watches over you very carefully<\/em>].\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a01 Peter 5:7 (Amplified Bible)<\/p><p>I\u2019m a pretty healthy person. Honest. But a few weeks ago, I finally had some testing done to see if the lovely cancer gene that runs in my family is part of my DNA. Come to find out, that pesky rascal does, indeed, live in me. This surprised me because, I always assumed I took after my mother.<\/p><p>She just had heart attacks, cataracts, neuropathy, and dementia.<\/p><p>But not cancer. That comes from the Phillips\u2019 side.<\/p><p>Side note: this isn&#8217;t about my announcing that I have cancer and only two days to live. Thus far, all facts indicate that I will be around for a while longer. Still, the people with lots of letters after their names tell me I need to start getting some extra testing done.<\/p><p>Sheesh.<\/p><p>It would be easier to ignore them if the last advice my father gave me had not been, \u201cMelissa, go to the doctor.\u201d You\u2019d think my godly father would have said something like, \u201cKeep your eyes on the Lord\u201d or \u201cPray without ceasing.\u201d But, no. Even though his vision to continue impacting this world for God remained, when his earthly body failed at the age of 55, he earnestly looked at me and said, \u201cMelissa, go to the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c4225d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c4225d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d90b0a1\" data-id=\"d90b0a1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bba0deb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bba0deb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"596\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Daddy-and-me-1958.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1970\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Daddy-and-me-1958.jpg 640w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Daddy-and-me-1958-600x559.jpg 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Daddy-and-me-1958-300x279.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Daddy and daughter, February 1958<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3a91fdb\" data-id=\"3a91fdb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9cb12e3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9cb12e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Phillips-family-full-1983.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1975\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Phillips-family-full-1983.jpg 640w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Phillips-family-full-1983-600x486.jpg 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Phillips-family-full-1983-300x243.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Phillips' clan, Christmas 1983, six months before our beloved patriarch went to heaven<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bce5051 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bce5051\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a63f366\" data-id=\"a63f366\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-288b4a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"288b4a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>So, I go.<\/p><p>Not that I\u2019m a hypochondriac\u2014too busy for that nonsense.<\/p><p>Then, there\u2019s the fact that I am too tight. Which, come to think of it, is definitely a trait from my mother\u2019s side. Budgeting foibles aside, the fact is, I don\u2019t have insurance. And yet, I know I am where God wants me.<\/p><p>Generally, I turn these types of things over to Him.<\/p><p>Generally.<\/p><p>But I was forced (after returning from a month in Canada) to face the emails and phone messages telling me to schedule said various tests. Begrudgingly I called the given numbers. It was a good news, bad news situation.<\/p><p>The good news was that I could get two of the tests done simultaneously and therefore only have to be knocked out once. The bad news was that they wanted me to come in for a consultation first.<\/p><p>For a few hundred dollars.<\/p><p>\u201cBut why?\u201d I sighed.<\/p><p>When the day of the consultation arrived, I took up my disgruntled conversation with the Lord. After all, I had been praying about helping someone financially, but these annoying, and in my opinion unnecessary, medical bills were sure going to get in the way. \u00a0<\/p><p>Putting on my make-up, I began to listen to a sermon a dear friend had recommended. Let me tell you, the message put fire in my bones! It charged me up and fed my soul. It inspired and motivated me\u2026<\/p><p>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Until the preacher began to get personal.<\/p><p><em>\u201cWhere are your loyalties, really?\u201d he asked. \u201cYour anxieties will reveal your idolatry. Hey, if you worry about money, guess what? Money is an idol in your life. If you worry about reputation and recognition, self-recognition and pride are idols in your life\u2026.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><p>Well, it didn\u2019t really matter what he said after that little money quip because the brakes of my heart screeched to a stop right there.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Your anxieties reveal your idolatry.<\/strong><\/p><p>Pausing, I bowed my head. As I repented, the Lord reminded me how He always meets my needs. Just in case I hadn&#8217;t gotten the point, my eyes opened to see the little pillow that said, <em>Ask Your Father<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fb9d161 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fb9d161\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb2741b\" data-id=\"bb2741b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a5482b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1a5482b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask-1024x579.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1982\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask-600x339.jpg 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask-768x434.jpg 768w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/actual-ask.jpg 1217w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2737e06 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2737e06\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a67894f\" data-id=\"a67894f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b682ca6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b682ca6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>And right there, my frustration and worry disappeared. Not that I wasn\u2019t going to ask about the reasons for the consultation and inform them that I didn\u2019t have insurance. But, with my spirit now in line, I could do it without that edge of vexation.<\/p><p>Did you know that the Hebrew word for a widow, <em>almanah, <\/em>comes from the root <em>alem<\/em>, which means &#8220;silent one&#8221; or, better yet, &#8220;one who has no voice&#8221;?<\/p><p>I have learned that there is an art to getting your voice heard when you don\u2019t have a man speaking up for you. The Bible&#8217;s admonition to\u00a0 &#8220;Speak the truth in love\u201d (Ephesians 4:15) and my mother\u2019s \u201cit\u2019s not what you say, it\u2019s how you say it,\u201d are worth remembering.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6564cce elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6564cce\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5fb3c91\" data-id=\"5fb3c91\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39153e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"39153e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Flies-with-honey.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1983\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Flies-with-honey.png 640w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Flies-with-honey-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Flies-with-honey-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-eb2aad0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"eb2aad0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a72ae0\" data-id=\"5a72ae0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f79087 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8f79087\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Sometimes, a smile is the best way to out-dog a bulldog.<\/em><\/p><p>The doctor came in, sat down casually, and asked how he could help me. This, in my opinion, was the perfect opener to let him know about the lack of insurance. So, could we, please, keep this consultation short? He smiled. At least, I think he did. For above his regulation Covid19 mask, his eyes held a definite twinkle. As we talked about symptoms and family history. I did my best to answer quickly, clearly, and graciously.<\/p><p>Eventually, I found myself in another room waiting to discuss possible appointments. The doctor had indicated that the office call might be waived, and my hopes were high. When a nurse walked by and mentioned a plan to further cut my cost, my eyes blinked away the tears.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u201cIf we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.\u201d 2 Timothy 2:13<\/strong><\/p><p>Finally, I was ushered into an office where a calm, kind woman and I bandied dates about. Before confirming a final appointment, I took a deep breath and broached the financial issue. Her fingers stopped typing, and she turned to me. Lifting her hands and cradling them together, she smiled.<\/p><p>There was a program, she said, where each doctor in their network could perform a certain number of procedures for free each year. (Oh, and did I mention that originally my appointment was to be with a different doctor?)\u00a0<\/p><p>Now, the doctor, with the twinkling eyes, was giving me a gift worth several thousand dollars.<\/p><p><strong>\u201cHaven\u2019t I always taken care of you, Melissa?\u201d <\/strong>came my Father&#8217;s whisper, once again.<\/p><p>This time the moisture in my eyes spilled over. Pretty soon it mixed with what was running out of my nose. Suffice it to say that I do not cry pretty.\u00a0<\/p><p>Later, I walked back out into the sunshine, climbed into my car, and sat in awe.<\/p><p><em>Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, <\/em>I whispered<em>. <\/em><\/p><p>This called for a celebration and I just happened to have a Panera gift card tucked in my purse. My joy overflowed and nothing, not even the fact that I had to repeat my order three times because the speakers were not working well in the drive-through, could squelch it.<\/p><p>Smiling broadly, I handed my gift card to pay and took my food. A moment later, I realized that my order wasn\u2019t complete.<\/p><p>&#8220;Oh,&#8221; I said, turning to the young man, &#8220;I should have coffee, too. And a cookie.&#8221; And reached to hand him the gift card once again. With perfect customer service, he shook his head no and motioned for me to pull into a spot ahead and wait. A few minutes later, he was handing me my hot cinnamon crunch coffee and a cookie\u2014free.<\/p><p>It was the cookie that got me. Hands down, cookies are my favorite dessert and close to the top of my list is the Kitchen Sink Cookie from Panera Bread.<\/p><p><em>\u201cGrace,\u201d <\/em>someone has said<em>, \u201cis when God gives us good things that we don\u2019t deserve.\u00a0<\/em><em>Mercy is when He spares us from bad things we deserve.\u00a0<\/em><em>Blessings are when He is generous with both.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6c7fc4c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6c7fc4c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb8c28b\" data-id=\"bb8c28b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9222a28 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9222a28\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings-1024x536.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1984\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings-1024x536.png 1024w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings-600x314.png 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings-768x402.png 768w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Grace-mercy-blessings.png 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9bc2f94 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9bc2f94\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e27a61\" data-id=\"6e27a61\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef6a343 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ef6a343\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Let\u2019s face it, days like this do not happen very often. Sacrifices and discipline are a necessary part of life. But every now and then, our heavenly Father does send it all.<\/p><p><strong>Grace,<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 mercy,<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0blessings,<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0and the kitchen sink cookie.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-79ce333 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"79ce333\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dd9bd91\" data-id=\"dd9bd91\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a8aa71 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2a8aa71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"766\" src=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie-1024x766.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1985\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie-1024x766.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie-600x449.jpg 600w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie-768x574.jpg 768w, https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-cookie.jpg 1242w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f21fe20 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f21fe20\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9c14c17\" data-id=\"9c14c17\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2f89d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c2f89d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Would you like to be blessed AND convicted like I was? Check out these messages:<\/strong><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/livingproof.co\/sermon-series\/first-peter-humility\/\">https:\/\/livingproof.co\/sermon-series\/first-peter-humility\/<\/a><\/p><p><strong>And you definitely want to try out this copycat recipe for Panera&#8217;s Kitchen Sink Cookies\u00a0 (you can thank me later).<\/strong><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablespoon.com\/recipes\/copycat-panera-kitchen-sink-cookies\/9242e80e-8a83-4c61-9464-75a7ace4acd8\">https:\/\/www.tablespoon.com\/recipes\/copycat-panera-kitchen-sink-cookies\/9242e80e-8a83-4c61-9464-75a7ace4acd8<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I finally had some testing done to see if the lovely cancer gene that runs in my family is part of my DNA. Come to find out&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1965,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[82,86,80,85,45,84,37,83,46,81],"class_list":["post-2019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-anxiety","tag-cancer","tag-cares","tag-cookies","tag-faith","tag-gifts","tag-love","tag-peace","tag-trust","tag-worries","entry","has-media","owp-thumbs-layout-horizontal","owp-btn-normal","owp-tabs-layout-horizontal","has-no-thumbnails","has-product-nav"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2019"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3847,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2019\/revisions\/3847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissadawnbaker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}