Sweet thoughts for the holidays

“Consistent, timely encouragement has the staggering magnetic

power to draw an immortal soul to the God of hope. The One whose name

is Wonderful Counselor.”

-- CHARLES R. SWINDOLL

This seems to be the season of too much of some things and not

enough of others. Maybe it’s too much stress, strain and rushing from

one errand to the next, or maybe it’s lack of time or sleep that is

so draining.

Do any of you feel the need to pull away from the frenetic pace of

life and connect with God or others who love you?

Many people in a group I attend felt that way and talked about it

recently. One woman named Julie shared something she always did with

her family, and the more she talked, the more excited the women

became.

When Julie saw the longing look on everybody’s faces, she asked if

we wanted to join her in one of her family’s traditions. The women

eagerly agreed, and Julie chose a time and a date so she could

prepare and order the needed supplies.

Last week, Julie helped some of us step out of the business of

this month and into her world of making candy. She warmly let us

share in a special tradition that she has enjoyed ever since she was

a little girl.

“My mom made candy since as long as I can remember,” Julie said

happily. “She’d gather friends together and they’d make a pecan roll

for every single member of our church. Then the four of us children

piled into our big old blue station wagon dressed in our jammies, and

my dad drove my mom and us to each of the houses to deliver the candy

as a family.

“It was something I’ll never forget,” she said.

Julie talked about her mother, her grandmother, their lives and

their different candy specialties. The more Julie talked about almond

rocca, pecan logs, hand-dipped lemon, orange and strawberry creams,

caramels, double dipped mints, turtles, truffles and cherry cordials,

the more my mouth watered and I knew I wanted to be part of the day.

Julie invited women she knew from biking or church groups, as well

as some neighbors. When I left the candy-making event, I felt

encouraged and thankful for God and how he has proven to be so

faithful to me and to so many.

Many of those were women covered in nuts and chocolate, who had

stirred chocolate, scoured pans or scurried around Julie’s kitchen.

It was less about the tasty treats and more about the sweet

conversations, opening up about some of their pains and gains in

life.

“We are so busy these days that we never make time to do seemingly

frivolous things like candy-making, baking, cooking or crafting.”

Nancy, another candy-maker said. “Yet when you get a group together

to do these, it provides the time necessary for fellowship and

friendship, sharing life together, things that our moms and

grandmothers had in abundance.”

Making the candy from Julie’s family recipes was great fun, and

the results are definitely delicious. But the love, encouragement and

reminders of the hope we can have in this life because of God, were

clearly the sweetest of all.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at

cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.