Love Looks Different for Everyone

Sometimes the greatest gift we can give isn't the art we create... it's noticing what each person needs most. 

---

Some Weeks Begin with Worry

Some weeks, God teaches me through huge milestones.

Other weeks...

He quietly hides the lesson inside ordinary moments.

This was one of those weeks.

If I'm being honest...

The week actually started with me stressing myself out.

The weather forecast kept climbing higher and higher.

100°...

101°... 

102°...

REALLY?!?! 😅

If you've followed me for any length of time...

You know heat and MS aren't exactly best friends.

My brain immediately went into planning mode.

"How am I going to survive this?"

"How am I going to keep my energy up?"

"How am I going to make this work?"

So I did what I always seem to do when life feels overwhelming...

I started simplifying.

I shrunk my Sparkle Box into a tiny little version.

Instead of offering thirty-one glitter colors...

I finally looked at myself...

...and laughed.

"Brookie... pump the brakes." 😂

Now it's simple.

✨ Medium Sparkles

✨ $12 each

✨ Two for $20

✨ Grab-and-go packs

Done.

Then I tackled my hair tinsel display.

Instead of offering every color imaginable, I narrowed it down to four collections.

Red white and blue- USA

🦄 Unicorn

🌈 Rainbow

💖 Pink

Honestly...

It felt freeing.

I'm realizing that simplicity isn't giving people less.

Sometimes it's giving them clarity.

Then, just when I thought I had everything figured out...

God completely rearranged my week.

The biggest outdoor event was postponed (https://www.facebook.com/share/1HcZQq2Gco/)

I actually laughed out loud.

Here I was praying for strength to survive the heat...

...and God simply gave me another day.

Sometimes the answer to prayer isn't more strength.

Sometimes it's an unexpected open calendar.

That extra day gave me space to breathe, finish preparing, and show up with more peace than panic.

I think I needed that.

---

Friday at Dave & Buster's

Friday ended up becoming my favorite story of the week.

I thought I was only going to be there for two hours.

Instead...

They asked me to stay twice as long.

Which was perfectly fine by me.

Because it meant twice as many opportunities to spread sunshine, rainbows, glitter, and joy.

Plus, they threw in free meals for me and my daughter (who ultimately got picked  up early by Dad)

One thing I love about Dave & Buster's is that families aren't usually in a rush.

Kids get face paint.

Then come back for henna.

Then hair tinsel.

Then Sparkles.

Honestly...

I think the adults have just as much fun as the kids.

Maybe more.

I always laugh because I probably install more hair tinsel on grown women than little girls.

Turns out...

We're all just big kids looking for permission to sparkle.

But one family completely stole my heart.

First their daughter climbed into my chair.

Then Mom.

Then Dad.

By the time we were finished...

I felt like we'd been friends forever.

The little girl absolutely had to help me.

So naturally...

I gave her jobs.

She became my little assistant.

Mom sat down next for henna.

As we talked, the conversation slowly shifted from choosing a design to talking about life.

The henna wasn't just something pretty.

It represented a new season she was stepping into.

A dream she was believing for.

Something she was intentionally moving toward.

I love moments like that.

People think they're sitting down for art.

But so often...

They end up sharing a little piece of their heart instead.

Then Dad sat down.

Their family's big idea?

Paint an American flag across his bald head for the Fourth of July.

I looked at him.

He looked at me.

We both started laughing.

"Absolutely."

As I painted, I kept handing little jobs to his daughter.

"Can you help me with this part?"

"What do you think we should do next?"

She absolutely lit up.

Then came the most important question of the afternoon.

"Dad...

Can I add glitter?"

He looked over at his wife.

Looked back at his daughter.

Smiled...

And said yes.

Well...

You already know how that ended.

✨ Glitter beard. ✨

Watching that little girl beam with pride while helping create something their family will probably laugh about for years reminded me of something.

Dad wasn't sitting in my chair because he wanted face paint.

He was sitting there because making his girls smile brought him joy.

Honestly...

I think that's one of the sweetest pictures of love I've seen in a long time.

Every person in that family needed something different.

One wanted to help.

One needed encouragement.

One simply wanted to make the people he loved smile.

Love met each of them differently.

---

Saturday at Heroes Grove Park

Saturday brought another adventure.

It was my very first time painting at Heroes Grove Park for Lower Paxton Township's Fourth of July celebration.

I was still thinking about the heat.

Dad kept calling.

Rob kept texting.

"Are you okay?"

"Drink water."

"Don't overdo it."

It made me smile because they know me well.

If I'm going to spend my day serving other people, they're going to make sure somebody's taking care of me too.

Thankfully...

I've learned a thing or two over the years.

I packed two Milwaukee fans.

Four fully charged batteries.

I already knew exactly how long they'd last because...

Well...

This isn't my first rodeo.

Sometimes experience isn't glamorous.

Sometimes it just means knowing which batteries to pack. 😂

When I arrived, though, I immediately felt cared for.

Laura Kurtz, who hired me for the event, had already thought of everything.

(My Grandpas Mom was a Kurtz, maybe we are long lost cousins????)

My tent was set up.

A table was waiting.

She'd positioned a backdrop to block the afternoon sun.

She even had another battery-powered fan waiting for me.

I just stood there smiling.

Not because of the fan.

Because of what it represented.

God had already gone ahead of me.

Before I painted a single face...

Before I unpacked a single brush...

Everything I needed was already there.

Over the past five years of living in Central Pennsylvania, I've slowly been meeting people, serving families, and building relationships.

This event felt like another reminder that those little seeds are beginning to grow.

One conversation opens another door.

One relationship leads to another.

Before you know it...

You're standing in a brand-new community that somehow already feels familiar.

I love that.

Even better...

I was hired to provide a free service so every child could receive face painting completely free.

Parents didn't have to think about the cost.

They simply got to watch their children light up.

And because Laura welcomed me to bring my Sparkles too...

I got to share those as well.

By the time I packed everything into my truck, my dashboard said it felt like 116 degrees.

116!!

And somehow...

I drove home smiling.

Not because it wasn't hot.

It absolutely was.

But because I'd prepared.

People cared for me.

God cared for me.

And somehow...

That made all the difference.

Sometimes God doesn't remove the heat.

Sometimes He simply provides the shade.

---

The Perfect Ending

Just before Dave & Buster's came to a close, one final family walked over.

If you've ever met me...

You probably know what happened next.

I offered each of them one of my free cross hennas.

As I painted the little cross on the back of their hands, I smiled and gave them each a little heart felt message finishing with,

"Jesus' love is free, yo." 

Then I shared one of my favorite reminders.

Over the next week or two...

Every time you look down and see that little cross...

Pause.

Take a deep breath.

Remember that God loves you more than your human mind could ever fully understand.

Be kind to yourself.

You are enough.

He's preparing a place for you.

Then...

We laughed.

We high-fived.

And walked away smiling.

Not because of the glitter.

Because of the joy.

Because of Jesus.

---

This Week's Reflection

You know what's funny?

I spend an awful lot of time thinking about face paint.

Henna.

Hair tinsel.

Sparkles.

Displays.

Battery fans.

Prices.

Product displays.

Basically...

All the stuff I think is important.

But when I drove home...

Do you know what I actually remembered?

It wasn't any of that.

It was a woman who made sure I had shade before I even arrived.

A dad making his daughters laugh.

A mom quietly sharing her heart.

A little girl who just wanted to help.

Children running toward my booth.

Families smiling together.

The paint.

The henna.

The glitter.

They're simply the invitation.

The real work is paying attention.

Listening.

Noticing.

Asking,

"What does this person need from me today?"

Sometimes it's laughter.

Sometimes it's encouragement.

Sometimes it's giving a six-year-old permission to help paint her dad's head.

Sometimes it's setting up a tent before someone arrives.

Sometimes it's reminding a complete stranger that they're deeply loved by God.

Love doesn't always look the same.

And maybe...

That's the point.

This week, before trying to fix someone's problems...

Maybe simply ask yourself,

"How can I love this person well, exactly where they are?"

You might be surprised what God can do through one small act of kindness.

Until next week...

✨ Spread Joy. Shine Bright. Keep Sparkling. ✨

With love,
Brookie 🌻