Our First Recipe Box

Remember back in the day when there was no internet? 
We used to collect recipes by taking them out of magazines - or better yet, we shared recipes and passed them down through the generations.

Oh what memories ! 

Our first recipe box.........

                                                                         

Look how the paper on some of the recipes is actually turning brown. 

The Peanut Butter Bars has an adorable story….

                                                                     

We had just gotten married....(back in the early 70's)

Mike was on his way into work listening to the radio. The DJ's at the time were talking about this recipe one of their wives had made.  It sounded really good to Mike.   He stopped the car, grabbed a nearby piece of paper and wrote it down. 

When Mike arrived home that evening he was so proud as he handed the receipt to me.

You know men…"I got this for you." 

We both loved the recipe and have cherished this piece of paper and the recipe ....for many years now.

 ******

The Coconut Pie was "one" of Mike's favorite pies back then so I made sure I received the recipe from his Mother. His Grandmother Lucy and he were very fond of one another.  ( My hand writing was so nice. )

                                                        

*****

My Father - Rev. David A. Raynor, Sr. made this Watermelon Rind Preserves 
just about every summer.  As a child my siblings and I looked forward to this special treat.
Later, our children loved them as well.   
The handwriting for this recipe is my Mothers (Louise Raynor). 
The reverse side of this card has a recipe for Watermelon Candy .

                                                                         

*****

Mike's Mother -"Grandma Janet'" (Janet Gray Gaskins) , as well as his Grandmother Lucy have a recipe for Pineapple Icing  that was and is prepared, literally thousands of times!  The following recipe is in her handwriting. 
Awesome and easy.

         

*****

Well, today, the Lemon Condensed Pie remains Mike's most favored dessert. 

Lemon Condensed Pie. No one could/can - or will, top how it tasted when "Grandma Lucy" made it….with love.

*****

Inherited and handwritten recipes.......what a blessing!

Quotes......Mothers

Unless otherwise noted, authors are unknown.

                                                                               

                      "Mother is a verb...........NOT a noun".

Tenneva Jordan is quoted as saying, "A Mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces that she never did care for pie".


"I remember my Mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  The have clung to me all my life".   Abraham Lincoln

The definition of a sweater.....

"a garment worn by a child when their Mother is feeling chilly".

Spanish Proverb - "An ounce of Mother is worth a pound of clergy".

"The heart of a Mother 

is a deep abyss at the bottom

 of which you will always find forgiveness".

Honore de Balzac

                                                                           

"A Mother's love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible".
taken from A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Marion C. Garretty

Emily Dickinson says it best...

"A Mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled".

"Don't ever tell the Mother of a newborn 

that her baby's smile is just gas!"

"Mommies are just BIG Little girls"...........


"Did you know that any Mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with ease?"

            

Here's a quote I've always appreciated....... "You can fool some of the people some of the time,  but you can't fool Mom". Author Unknown......"A Mother's hug last long after she let's go". Another definition of a Mother -                "a bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries".

Encouragement Is Powerful

Definition

en·cour·age

[ in kúr ij ]

TRANSITIVE VERB 

1. 

give somebody hope or confidence: to give somebody hope, confidence, or courage

2. 

urge somebody to do something: to motivate somebody to take a course of action or continue doing something

"encouraged me to finish the course"

3. 

foster something: to assist something to occur or increase

"encourage new solutions to traffic problems"

Everyone, young and old, famous or unknown, successful and the less-than-successful needs encouragement!

Mark Twain once said, "One compliment can keep me going for a whole month."                      
                 
                                                                 

Zig Ziglar said, "You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life."

The Bible says, "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."  (Proverbs 16:24)

As you encourage people around you, in your home, in your community and even the strangers you come in contact with - you are helping them to become better people.  You help them believe in themselves.  You help them to have a better opinion of themselves.  And guess what?  It is helping  YOU become a better person; it is helping you to believe in yourself.  

Once you learn how terrific you are - you will never settle for anything less than the best!  The more you encourage others, the more it will become a part of you.

                                                                                

Look for opportunities to encourage others.......

go on....

...get going.

Selection Sunday

During the month of March every year, NCAA Men's Basketball fans anxiously await the day when they will find out if their beloved team will be represented in the "Big Dance". 

This important day is called "Selection Sunday".

Did you know that long before you or I were ever conceived in our mothers’ wombs, God already knew us and was calling us to be His children with a special purpose?

( "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." Ephesians 1:4)

The word “chosen” in Greek is eklego - a compound of the words ek and lego. 

The word ek means out, and the word lego means I say. 

Together these words literally mean Out, I say! 

It can also mean to call out, to select, to elect, or to personally choose.

Thus, before God ever spoke the earth into existence - before His voice ever called out for the first layers of the earth’s crust to be put into place - 

He had already spoken our names!

He selected and elected us before the very first layers of the earth were created!

God chose us!

He wants you and I to be a significant part of His plan!

Isn't that exciting?

The Best Season Yet

This is a article I have preserved for several years that was published in Our Daily Bread
several years ago.  It is my prayer that you will enjoy it as much as I did.

See then that you walk circumspectly, . . . redeeming the time, because the days are evil. —

Ephesians 5:15-16

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Today's Scripture:

Ephesians 5:15-21

Life is a lot like the weather . . . it’s seasonal. 

It has a way of pushing us into the next season whether we like it or not. And when pushed into the next season, we are often uncertain and even fearful of what it might hold for us.

This is especially true of later seasons of life, when we are haunted by thoughts such as: Will I be left all alone? Will my health hold up? Will my money last? Will my mind stay fresh? As with every season of life, we have to make a choice—to waste the season in fearful thoughts or, as Paul says, make “the best use of the time, because the days are evil” 

(Eph. 5:16 esv).

Regardless of your season, you can count on God’s faithfulness. He says, “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’” (Heb. 13:5-6).

Because you have God’s presence and provision, you can make the most of your time in every season by following Jesus closely, spending time in His Word and prayer, loving and forgiving more freely than ever before, and serving others with joy and generosity.

God has blessed us with our present season—make the most of it!

By:  Joe Stowell

Reflect & Pray

Lord, give me the grace to accept life right where
it has put me, and help me to overcome the fear
that would waste my days. Give me the wisdom
and desire to make every day count for You.

Life matters—make the most of it!