Water Lillies and S'mores

This story is dedicated to my childhood friends Sandy and Penny and to my daughter Susan who finds beauty in the simplest things. It's for Abigail also because she taught Scott how to make S'mores after they were married. How did I manage to not teach him that?



S'mores
Hershey chocolate bars
Toasted marshmallows
Graham crackers
Friends and a campfire

Gather with friends at a campfire. Toast marshmallows over the fire on a stick or metal clothes hanger. Place the toasted marshmallow on top of the Hershey bar which is placed first on one graham cracker. Top with a second graham cracker and enjoy the melted chocolate and gooey center with giggling friends.

I love this picture of water lillies. I remember the first time I saw these beautiful flowers on a lake when I was a young teenager at church camp. My friend Sandy talked me into taking a rowboat to see them up close. It was not until I wanted to touch them that she told me she could not swim and had never been in a rowboat. She was clueless as to how to get back to shore. I was so surprised and asked her "why did you suggest we come if you did not know how to row or swim?". She said "I trusted you and knew if you did not know how, you would say 'no'". Great! I probably weighed 80 pounds and here I am in the middle of a lake with no other boats around with a girl who could not swim. Luckily, the camp had life vests in the boats so I was relieved that if she fell in, there was a chance she would not sink.

I touched the water lillies. They were slimy underneath and the roots went to the bottom of the water. They were not magically floating flowers as they appeared from a distance. They had roots nobody could see and their beauty is not fragile. They are meant to be seen but not swept up like other flowers. I was so thankful that I got the chance to see them up close but quickly gave a quick "thanks" under my breath to my dad and brothers who taught me to row a boat and swim.

My friend Penny is like those water lillies. From a distance, she has always seemed so serene and her quiet personality made our school friends think she was shy. To some degree she was and is but up close, she remains steadfast to her faith and no waves in life are too tough for her to weather. Look closer at your friends. You may get a glimpse of beauty that you did not see before, but God always has enjoyed.

Proverbs 16:3 "commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established".

Love,
Nana

Crossroads and Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

This blog is just for Susan. She is at a crossroads in her life and has decided that making a decision is better than just staring at the choices and wondering what to do.


Pineapple Upside down Cake

3 1/2 T butter or margarine
1/2 C brown sugar
1 can (No 2) chunks(the short can)
6 maraschino cherries
1 1/4 C sifted flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/3 C shortening
1 t vanilla
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C pineapple juice

Melt the butter or margarine in 6 to 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle sugar over it once it is melted. Arrange pineapple (1/2 inch thickness)into flower-shaped pattern; place well drained cherry in the center of each flower. Let that sit while you prepare the batter.

Sift four, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Add vanilla to shortening and gradually add the sugar creaming until fluffy. Add egg to this mixture and beat with mixer until blended. Add flour and pineapple juice alternately to this mixture, stirring until blended after each addition.

Spread the batter over the pineapple. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Turn onto flat plate immediately. Serve warm or cold.

This was the very first desert recipe that was successful for me. I made it first when I was in junior high school and trusted it would always come out perfect. Other cakes did not turn out so well. There were no plastic tubs of frosting to buy in the grocery store and I just could not seem to get any of the recipes from books to look like the picture. Sometimes the results was a complete failure so I came to rely on what I knew would work. I left the other cakes to those who could make them with ease. You just have to know what you can and can't do well.

Susan has some major decisions ahead as she enters college and she will find that some of the things she loves to do (like me making upside down cake) will not help her in the studies there. She will learn not only about the subjects but about herself. For the first time in her life she will have many choices instead of a few under the shelter and guidance of her parents. Some of the choices others present to her will be energetic and insistent with loud voices... "come on. It will be fun! You are on your own and it is your choice... you are over 18 you don't have to ask permission from anyone!" If the voices are too loud or make her feel like "no" is her best answer, I hope she listens to the logical side of her brain but if it will be fun and she is just not sure of herself, I hope she does experience life at it's fullest. She chose the college all by herself, researched it then invited me and her dad to tour it with her. She registered for classes for both summer and fall and did her own research for her best financial options to pay for school. She understands she does not have to ask permission for her choices but she also seems to grasp that with choices also comes responsibility. Today she is going to work. She has saved about ninety percent of what she has earned to pay for school. She is head and shoulders above most of the people in her graduating class in being prepared for this crossroads they all are at now. We are very proud of her confidence.

One of my favorite hymns is Softly and Tenderly. The voice of the Master is both soft and tender. He will call you to Himself and sometimes He knocks at your hearts door and the sound is very soft... He is a gentleman and will not enter your heart or life without invitation. He may ask you to befriend someone others shun because they are shy and do not seem to have much to offer the group. Sometimes He may just want to sit with you and hear your burdens but He is always soft and tender in His approach. I have asked Him to be with Susan as I have asked Him to be with all my children. The wonderful thing is she also invited Him to accompany her on life's journey so I know He is with her anywhere and everywhere she goes. He will help her sort through the loud voices of the world and draw her to Himself. Invite Him into your life and He will help you with your crossroads too.

Revelations 3:20 I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.

Love,
Nana

Just a day in the life...

If you have made it this far into my blog, you are very patient. Hopefully, whoever you are, you will find humor in this and not think I'm a complete fruitcake. I am not complete. I am a fruitcake in progress.













There is a story about a retired couple who were watching television. The man got up to go in the kitchen and asked his wife if she wanted anything while he was there. She said... "sure, I'll take a dish of ice cream". He asked "anything else" and she said "sure add some chocolate syrup". He asked "anything else" and she said "sure add a few sprinkles". He asked "anything else" and she smilled sweetly and said "no thank you". He returned a few minutes later with a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. She looked at him and smiled and said "you forgot the toast".

I was also going into the kitchen and asked if my husband wanted coffee. He said "sure"... he was not as amused when I finished the dishes first because I forgot that I promised to bring him coffee. Guess that story was not too far from real life.

Sorry 'bout that...

1 Corinthians 11:33 When you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Who knew good manners was actually Biblical? I just thought it was a "southern thing" to wait until everybody is served.

Love,
Nana

If Friday is "Good"... what is Saturday? and Sugar Cookies

This blog is dedicated to someone whose name I don't know because we are anxiously awaiting the day of their birth. A new baby is coming to our family in a few months. You are surrounded by tremendous love as you grow... and we wait.






Sugar Cookies

1 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs (beaten)
2 t Vanilla (GF)
1 cup Sour Cream
5 cups Tom Sawyer GF flour
2 t Baking Powder (GF)
1 t Soda
1 ¼ t Salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine eggs. vanilla and sour cream. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and soda together. Combine flour mixture alternately to creamed mixture and egg mixture. Chill completely, roll dough out to one quarter (1/4) inch thick, cut cookies with 2 ½ inch cutter.

Bake at 375 F about 15 minutes or until done.
Makes about 100 cookies.


What is Saturday?

Two weeks ago today I borrowed my son's car. It was supposed to be a good thing... he needed to go out of town and my car was a little newer. I enjoyed driving his car so it was good for both of us... for about 10-15 minutes. That's how long it took for me to drive it to the auto shop when I saw the battery light come on. I got out of the car, walked in to speak to the mechanic and about two minutes later it burst into flames. The engine was destroyed in spite of the quick action of the mechanics to put the fire out. Who could have predicted that? Now we wait for the insurance company to complete their investigation so they can pay for his car and perhaps he get a better one. With their first baby coming in a few months, it will be fun for him and his wife to shop for a car. The waiting is not fun. The fire was not expected... we know what the outcome will be but the in-between is not so much fun.

Today is set aside as a day we remember that Jesus was born for one purpose... to pay the price of death for our sins. Even those who claim not to believe declare His truth every time they say what the date is! The year is 2010 A.D. ..."in the year of our Lord". Before then it was B.C., before Christ,when they were waiting for Him to arrive. On that Friday so many years ago when scripture was fulfilled, there was great sadness on earth and in heaven for His suffering. It is overwhelming to even imagine it. This beautiful person who showed love and compassion to so many people saw no compassion returned to Him. It is understandable that He cried out "my God, why has thou forsaken Me?" His final words of "it is finished" must have been so painful to His mother and those who cried near Him as they watched Him suffer and die.

We celebrate the first day of the week when He showed Himself to those who loved Him... but what about Saturday? What about the time when there was still sadness and confusion and those who loved Him retreated to places of shelter and hiding... what about Saturday?

We all have our Saturdays in our life. Something happens that is overwhelming and we just don't know what to do with the time between the difficult period between when the sun stopped shining... and when it begins again. Last year there was celebration when another little baby was expected but on a dark day in our life, the baby was called back to heaven. It felt the same to me then as it did in April 1992 when the same thing happened to my daughter. I felt like some one carved a piece of my heart out of my chest because I could not take away the pain I saw in the eyes of my child. Later that year, we held Paige and later this year, we will hold another little baby but the in between times... the times when great courage and faith are required is our Saturday. Whatever you Saturday is, know that God is with you and He will never ever leave you. A new journey began for the followers of Christ on Sunday. A new journey will begin with you just as it will with us in a few months.

May you celebrate the resurection of our Lord and not worry so much about the nonsense that has been added of fancy clothes and Easter through the worlds eyes. Look around you... the flowers bloom even in the desert declaring new life on earth after a long winter. You will be renewed and you will know that between Friday and Sunday there has to be Saturday for us to heal from the wounds of Friday. May you know the meaning of the blessing Jesus spoke "Peace be with you".

Love,
Nana

John 20:21 Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so send I you