I have had a pretty sensitive stomach for quite a few years now and have realized that gluten plays a big factor in that. Typically, I will go a while staying away from gluten, then eating a little, then a little more, then having an upset stomach. It’s a vicious cycle. I have been doing pretty good, though, for the last couple of weeks and feel so much better. So, I have recommitted to staying gluten free. I have never tried making dough without flour and decided I should give it a try. When I was at the store today, I found the baking aisle and stood back to get a good view of the options. As I was scanning the shelves, an older couple came up and stopped in front of me. The fairly tall husband asked if I needed something from the top shelf. I said no thank you, that I was still trying to figure out what I needed. The wife was looking at the gluten free flours. After picking up several and talking it over with her husband, she made her choice. I asked if she did a lot of gluten free baking. She said she did. I told her I was just starting and trying to find a good option. She talked to me for a while about rice flours, mixes, xanthan gum, and her 30 years of experience. She said she thought she should give me her phone # so she could be of help. Honestly, I almost thought I should have taken it. At one point she wanted to give me a little pat on the arm when she told me good luck, but stopped herself. I thought that was pretty cute. At the checkout, we bumped into each other again and she told me where I can find magazines with lots of recipes. She was such a sweet, helpful woman.

I Found God today in a sweet, helpful stranger.