Its that time of year. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, there is a cool breeze blowing and the leaves are beginning to show signs of color. You may think I’m going to say its fall. And these are the signs of fall’s arrival. But much more importantly : its time to bake.
Inexplicably it seems that almost every piece of my personal history has a particular cookie tied to it. I don’t know how it happened really. It may be my sweet tooth developed because of where I come from, or maybe I recall things this way because of my sweet tooth… its unclear which came first. At any rate…
My love for cookies is true blue. But, at this time of year my taste buds begin to hunt for particular flavors. This morning when I woke up, I knew it was time for the beautiful cookie of fall. A light puff of cinnamon and sugar goodness, that melts in your mouth.
I remember the first time I got to help make the cookies with my mom. It was autumn… I couldn’t have been more than 6. And for some reason it seems like she was cooking apple sauce on the stove top. Warm applesauce from the dutch oven and fresh cookies from the oven. This is the aroma of heaven. She decided we should foray into the world of baking – and off we went. Snickerdoodles. I was given the chore of rolling the small balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar before setting them on the baking sheet. They turned out perfectly… at least as far as I can recall.
This weekend I’m planning to make Snickerdoodles with my daughter because, well I think its the right thing to do. I bought special fall colored sugars to make them beautiful. There is no special occasion – only the togetherness with my girl. I have no idea if it will be memorable for her, the way my first cookie baking experience was with my mom. More important than whether Emily remembers the cookies, or if they were perfect, I’m hoping its the time together she will not forget.
Somehow as this fall begins, I am impressed again that its my loved ones that matter the most. Precious memories of time with friends and family will be my heart’s delight in the seasons to come – not stuff, not accomplishments.
Scripture talks about this a bit in Matthew 6:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “
Its simple, but true: Loving those He has given to me is one of the best treasures I can store up in Heaven. In the days ahead it may be my fortune. For now, it is Snickerdoodles with my sweet girl. Someday those cookies may even be like gold…
(written originally October 15, 2010)
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I LOVE Snickerdoodles – in fact, bought a MIX – can you believe it – at the store yesterday! I’m getting too old to do much from scratch stuff – at least by myself – for just the two of us! As beautiful as your memory is with your mom – Emily’s will be even better!