(originally written December 11,2009, but seems to fit my busy day, preparing for a Christmas cookie exchange tonight!)

Baking cookies has always been an important Christmas tradition in my family. It always has been since my childhood. I don’t remember a Christmas where I haven’t been a part of making at least a few delectable treats.

There are a few cookies that bring memories of Christmases from my past. From a very early Christmas I remember a butter sandwich cookie with a mint butter cream frosting, made by my Aunt Belva. She threw holiday parties without parallel; the Christmas that I tasted the butter cookie was no exception. The cookie was cool because of the mint in the frosting, but it melted in my mouth because of all of the butter. I made these cookies a few years back. When I tasted it, it was as if I was transported back in time, standing at the foot of her large, cherry dining room table. It was covered with what seemed like thousands of beautiful Christmas goodies and I could smell all of the wonderful aromas coming from her kitchen.

Another very special cookie is the Christmas sugar cookies that my grandmother would bake. I specifically remember a lot of bell shaped cookies which she decorated with colorful royal icing and tiny silver balls. Oh how those cookies made my taste buds sing!

My grandmother is an incredible baker. She has passed down recipes to my mom, who has passed on a lot of recipes to me as well. A Christmas does not pass that I don’t look forward to making those Christmas sugar cookies. It wasn’t too long ago that I remember making these cookies in the midst of maternity nausea. There is almost nothing that can get in the way of this tradition. I love to bake at Christmas time.

And its not just me – my sister has this baking tradition, too. We love to use old recipes from our family and new recipes that we find. Earlier this month, she called me to say, “Get to the nearest Target, the Christmas Cookie edition of Better Homes and Gardens just went on the stands!” Not one day later my mom called and said the exact same thing. We have all spent time pouring over these recipes and discussing them over the phone. Yes, I think its safe to say Christmas baking is a deeply rooted tradition that we all hold dear.

Its my mom’s fault, really. She is good at baking. Not only was she good at it, she let us explore while teaching us the art of things like a well chilled dough, when to take your cookies out of the oven or how to pick out a new recipe. A lot of who I am today as a baker revolves around my mom’s example.

A love for baking was not all that my mother instilled in me. Without knowing it, my mom was a good example in other ways. From a young age I saw my mother make her love for the Saviour a priority. I saw it in the unspoken, every day things.

She probably doesn’t know that when I was in high school, I used to come downstairs to the kitchen in the mornings, long after she was gone to work and find her Bible and devotional book open to a particular passage. There were many nights I could hear her and my dad pouring their hearts out before the Lord for loved ones in need. These are memories I hold dear from my life in my parents’ home.

A Scripture came to mind today: “Train up a child in the way that they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.”

Now it is my turn. I have a little eyes watching me at my house. I don’t want to be only a good baker for my children. My prayer is that my children will know what it means to follow Jesus by watching my life. Maybe they will share a love for baking a good cookie with me. But, far more importantly, its my hope that they will treasure the life they can find in Christ.

When my children are grown, I hope that they will have learned to love spending time with Jesus and how to keep from burning the cookies! Mom, if this was your prayer for me, your prayers have been answered! Thank you for your example. I love you.

md

(written December 11, 2009)

I promise.  This is not going to be as gross as the title might indicate… My sweet baby girl turns 18 months old on Sunday.  Her eating patterns are developing.   Her appetite is growing.  These days she does manage to get a lot of what she eats into her mouth on her own.  Its all quite amusing to watch.

And believe me when I tell you that she gives me plenty of opportunity to see exactly what she is doing.  In recent days it has come to pass that Mackenzie likes to take her time eating.  I can’t pinpoint the exact day that it started, but I now have to budget a significant amount of time for eating.  She is not in a hurry.

This morning, for instance,  she was halfway through one small pancake, a few bites of cheese and a quarter of a half of banana – at the forty-five minute marker!  She eats a bite, she chatters, she licks her spoon, she takes a drink… she chatters some more, she moves things around on her tray and then she might take another bite.  Ahhh the luxury of a toddler.

Michael and I discussed this morning how Mackenzie seems to take after Grandpa Brock.  He was a man who took his time at the table.  I remember one family dinner on Easter Sunday, shortly after Michael and I were married, Grandpa Brock had taken maybe two bites of his meal while the rest of us had commenced clearing the table – completely finished with our dessert and everything.  I think he really enjoyed the time around the table with everyone.

They say that eating slowly is a very healthy habit.

As a mother of three, I am really good at eating fast – I can wolf my food down with the best of them.  Its really self-preservation.  You never know when you might have to clean up a spill, change a diaper or possibly even give what’s on your plate to someone else.  But – its not good for me.  I remember my mom telling me when I was little and requesting seconds, “You ate too fast!  Your stomach hasn’t had time to feel full yet…”

No, scarfing down nourishment is never a good plan.

Spiritually its not wise either.  Although – I do find myself choosing that quick “one verse snack”, rather than giving myself the luxury of digesting God’s Word over the course of some time.  I do know this: When I allow His Word and presence to slowly soak in, to saturate, and completely fill my heart, I don’t have to go searching for other “junk food” to fill me.

My sweet Mackenzie has reminded me:  There is nothing more important to my spiritual health and well being than time in His presence, reading His word – and being filled to the overflowing with nourishment that comes from Him.  It is the only way to truly live.

Psalm 1:1-3 says, this

“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

May this Word dwell richly in my heart and mind, fully digested, so that I am able to live a prosperous and fruitful life for His kingdom.  amen.

I was prepared this morning, or so I thought.  Last evening was a bit rough – all three kids had fevers when I checked around 6 pm – and still when they went to bed.  I should have known because they all had pretty rough moments yesterday being grumpy and the like.  So, at 9 o’clock I called the people we had activities planned with for the day and cancelled.

I have to say I was bummed.  I look forward to our fun days out of the house and I felt like it was stolen out from under us.  No fun piano lessons or science co-op.  Nope, just home.  and Sound of Music, because that’s what my kids want to watch over and over again right now.

Everyone was up bright and early and so I got up. My plan had been to make chocolate chip pancakes.  I thought it would at least cheer Emily up since she’d be missing out on our previously fun day.  But as I got up and moving I felt the long day of whining and grumpies looming out in front of me;  it was almost more than I could bear.  I felt my disappointment well up in my heart and all of my energy drain right out of the tips of my toes.  Even though I mentally had been prepared, I felt the desire to crawl back in bed and forget the pancakes.

But I didn’t.  I moved into the kitchen and got things rolling.  I mixed up the batter and added in the chocolate chips and they were bountiful.  After all, if you’re gonna make chocolate chip pancakes, you might as well do it right!  The first batch were on the griddle when I looked down at them.

It was as if I heard Him say,  ” I have blessed you beyond the number of these chocolate chips, here in your pancakes… Even if today is not what You had in mind, it is still good.  I have been good to you.”  And I began to count, and number all of the good things in my life.   I felt the sadness slip away, with hope beginning to swell in my heart.  It was a beautiful moment in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  Chocolate chip blessings…

Psalms 27:13-14 encouraged me even further this morning:

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Oh Heavenly Father,

Keep me vigilant, focused on your goodness.  In the difficult moments that today may bring, help me to revel in your love and provision. Let my heart and mind remain in the perfect peace that only you can give!  amen