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.
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