Ms. Mildred Cookies

About 2 weeks ago, a wonderful Christian woman lost her battle against pancreatic cancer. However, she won her crown of righteousness for fighting that good fight on this earth (2 Timothy 4:7).

Mildred Everson was a lot of things to a lot of different people.  For our family, Mildred was a wonderful Bible class teacher, great cook, fellow Andy Griffith enthusiast and dear friend.  She was a Titus 2 older woman, Mildred could admonish and exhort quite well and was an example in all areas as she taught by example to "love their husbands, love their children, be discreet, chaste,  homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."  (Titus 2:3-5)

Sunday, as I was teaching Bible class, I noticed that 2 or 3 items I was using were directly influenced by Mildred.  The children love to sing "What I'm Going to Be, When I Grow Up" and we stress how we can be a Christian firefighter, and a Christian mother, or a Christian soldier, and how we become a Christian.  Psalm 23 can be easily taught to even 4 year olds by using her simple stick figure drawings on flash cards.  I know that my own children learned a lot sitting in her classroom over the years and I grew as a Bible class teacher as well from observing her. 

 Food and hospitality are probably 2 things that will never be forgotten about Mildred.  She was well known for her dinners that she would prepare for visiting preachers.  Meals were simple, but oh so good.  I remember asking her one time how she made her potato salad.  She was embarassed to share the simple, easy way she made the sauce but now as I mix those 2 "secret" ingredients together until I get just the right shade of yellow I'm thankful she wasn't unwilling to share.

As I remember Mildred, I also recall what she would say whenever you thanked her for something she had done.  She'd simply say "pass it on."  Passing on good works is an important part of living a life centered around Christ.  Whenever we prepare a meal for someone, or open up our homes to them we are showing our Christian light and passing it on is what it's all about, right?

Now, back to the title of this blog post - "Ms. Mildred Cookies".  What are those, you ask?  They are a light, sort of fluffy chocolate chip cookie that Mildred was known for making.  Her grandchildren loved them, as did my own children.  My 17 year old asked me to make him some today, so I did.  I also thought it would be nice for me to pass on her recipe for them so you could make some too.

Ms. Mildred Cookies
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
2 sticks butter
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
4 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs - beat well - at least 5 minutes.  Add vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Add 1/2 of dry ingredients - mix.  Add water and mix.  Add rest of dry ingredients - mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop on parchment paper lined cookie sheet (or well greased).  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Remove immediately to cooling racks.  Store in air-tight container once cooled, and layer with wax paper or parchment.  

Just Like Brown Sugar

Sometimes when I'm baking, and I'm measuring brown sugar I think of Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

You see, when you measure brown sugar, you need to pack it down, which means you squish as much of it as you possibly can into your measuring cup.  When it is packed down, a lot more sugar is actually used than if you just scooped it and leveled it off as you would white sugar.  This is because of the moisture content of the molasses in the brown sugar.  (But you aren't reading this for a home-ec lesson, are you?) 

Whatever we are giving; praise, encouragement, gifts of love and time, we are going to receive back proportionally to what we give.  Jesus says here that it will be given to us using a good measure.  My grandfather used to work in "weights and measures".  That means he would check scales at markets or counters to make sure their scales were accurate.  1 pound should equal 1 pound.  What we are given is going to be pressed down, shaken together and running over.  Every little bit that can possible get into the unit of measure is going to be in there.  So much that it will be spilling out all over.  Another thing to notice from this scripture is that whatever unit of measure we use in giving, that same unit is going to be used for us.  

Take a few moments and think about what unit of measure you are using.  Is it an eye dropper, that you just drop a tiny amount of praise and encouragement onto your husband?  Is it a teaspoon of time that you give your children after a busy day at work and school?  Is it a measuring cup of love and time you give your parents?  When I think of what kind of measure I want to be used towards me, I'm thinking a huge bushel basket or bigger!  However for that to happen, it's up to me.  Guess I'm just going to have to keep measuring that brown sugar and packing it in tight.



P.S.  Think about 1 or 2 people you can give a little extra to today, and do it!  Give a word gift (verbal or written), a gift of time or an inexpensive "gift" gift (card, flower, something handmade?)  You'll be amazed at how good it makes you feel, and also the blessings you will receive back.  

Hurting People Hurt People

I haven't been a very good blogger yet again!  I think about it, have lots of ideas I'd like to write about, but between being a wife, mother, business owner, homeschooler, etc. it just gets put down on the list.  Today though, I logged onto my blog hoping to write about some good things hopefully to lift your day and encourage you and found a really ugly, hurtful comment left by "anonymous".  Ouch.

You know, in each of us is a bit of insecurity, and hurtful comments like the one I received just go right to the heart of my insecurities, and my things that I have been trying to improve.  It made me sad, but not for myself  but for anonymous.  I'm sad that anonymous couldn't leave her name.  I'm sad that anonymous  couldn't contact me directly and share her feelings about me so that we could work through them.  I'm sad that anonymous doesn't really know me, doesn't know my past, the things I've struggled with and the things I'm working daily to improve.  I'm sad that anonymous doesn't see the heart of this blog, and how if we could all ascribe to the Biblical teachings of the golden rule found in Matthew 7:12 we would be a happier people.  I'm sad that anonymous doesn't understand that to grow closer to God means we must grow closer to our Christian brothers and sisters.  I'm just reminded that hurting people at least try to hurt people.

So, dear anonymous, if you're reading this post, let's talk.  For everyone else, keep working daily at living the golden rule, putting God first in your life and being a light in the world.