Cookies and Christ

“…Lord, I will follow thee…”
Luke 9:57

33 years ago I stood next to my teammates before tip-off and listened to the familiar words of the National Anthem ring out on static-filled speakers mounted in the corners of my high school gym. 
My hands were sweaty with nerves and excitement as my heart began to race. My mind wandered as I sized up my competition and visualized the next 32 minutes of basketball. 

The cadence of the anthem slowed in the final few lines…
“O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
My adrenaline kicked into high gear as I huddled with my team ready to play some basketball. 

At 17, I thought little about my freedoms and the ability to worship whom and where I wanted. 

2020 has shaped my experience to worship in unexpected ways. And yet, my freedoms remain in-tact. 

In unprecedented details, my search for light, truth, and peace in Christ couldn’t be checked off of a Sunday morning to-do list. In every way, personal study and a personal acquisition to feel close to my Heavenly Father and Savior became more than ever a quietly individual quest. I didn’t foresee a pandemic resulting in the temporary closing and continued modification of my ability to attend church. I knew before and was reminded firsthand that my discipleship is simply between me and my Savior. If I wanted to emerge closer to Him, more trusting, and more aligned, I needed to privately study, ponder, and work to walk in His ways. 

If I choose to step into 2021 stronger in my faith in Christ and with a greater resolve to continue to grow my discipleship- my personal pursuit will include distinct choices. 

When no one is looking, when my dresses, heels, and bracelets remain in the back of my closet…
Do I believe?
How do I know?

If I am blessed to live in the “home of the brave”, How do I exercise the courage to grow my faith?
My Savior’s aide and acceptance are immediately available.The Spirit is readily available to teach truths to me. As I put the time into my acquisition of the word of God-
I am taught. 

Lately, it hasn’t been while seated in a pew amongst other members of a congregation. Instead, I’ve received truth and hope on long walks with my daughter, gathered with my family to share a meal, and staring into the bright blue eyes of my grandbaby. 

Let the anthem ring out: 

I am still free as I ever was to choose Christ.

-JC

PB & J Cookies (Chilled)

1 cup soft butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add an additional 2 Tablespoons flour for high elevation. Scoop out 24 -2” balls of dough. Gently roll and flatten slightly. 
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ min.  Let cool completely.  Pipe chilled Peanut Butter Cream straight from a Ziploc bag with a 1 inch corner trimmed off. Swirl with your choice of jam. (I pipe this from a quart size freezer strength Ziploc with a ¼ inch trimmed off.) Drizzle with melted peanut butter.
Refrigerate cookies until ready to serve.  Share!

Peanut Butter Cream
8 oz. softened cream cheese
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Dash of salt
12 oz. thawed Cool Whip
Mix cream cheese and peanut butter together until well blended. Stir in vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar and salt and mix on high for 3 minutes. Fold in thawed Cool Whip. Spoon into two different gallon sized Ziploc bags. (This will make it easier to handle.) Refrigerate until ready to use.

“…Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Matthew 24:44

My sister arrived in town on business and I excitedly awaited an evening to spend time together to “catch up”. We sipped fruit-flavored sparkling water and savored Ghirardelli Chocolate. I listened for hours as she spoke of prophecies and symbolism. 

Her studies of Christ’s return to the earth have been intensely thorough lately. As she shared her findings, her voice rang with assertiveness. My thoughts turned to hope. Hope for less suffering, less pain, and more enduring peace. My initial thoughts of hope were followed by thoughts of motivation. The desire to be deliberate in my thoughts, my walk, and my talk. 

Then the next day, as I continued to think about all the prophecies she studied in scripture, I needed to decide what it meant to me- for me…

If Jesus is coming back as promised and foretold so long ago,

Am I ready?
Am I getting ready?
Am I ready in anticipation? Or hurriedly trying to mitigate my mistakes. 

I have a vivid memory of when I was four years old. We were expecting dinner guests. We lived in a small farmhouse on the outskirts of town with a few farm animals. Mom was inside finishing dinner preparations. We had finished our own chores in preparation and were sent outside to wait and greet our guests. The swing set in the backyard was the perfect perch to see the gravel lane up to our home. 

I swung and kept a vigilant watch for our guests. 
Before long, dust stirred up over the driveway indicating our guests had arrived. I jumped from my swing and ran to tell Mom they were “here”…

I contrast that with an experience of a time 30 years later, when I had a family of my own. My husband had scheduled and pre-paid for a lady to come to help me with some cleaning and household chores. He traveled a lot and knew the burdens of housework would often leave me depleted of energy. For Christmas one year he acquired some help for me. Once a month- for two hours I would get to leave my home and return to a tidy- perfectly clean house. Upon returning, I would put the kids down for a nap and put my feet up to read a magazine and relax in my clean orderly home. I loved it…

Until the day I forgot she was coming…

I remember looking at the calendar and the clock and realized I only had about ten minutes before she would arrive. My house was a disaster. I began grabbing EVERYTHING (books, toys, backpacks, dirty dishes, and smelly laundry)- literally everything out of place and stuffed it into the back of my SUV…

This was clearly not a solution but in a moment of desperation trying to hide the chaotic state my home was in- I attempted to hide my filth and troubles.

The whole point of this lady coming was to help me…
But I was embarrassed and stubborn and prideful…

Hours later I returned to a momentarily clean house- until I unloaded my stinky SUV and spent the bulk of the next several days sorting through my literal piles of filth…I wasn’t ready for help and her looming arrival sent me into a panic. 

How do I feel about Jesus Christ returning to the earth?

Am I out swinging joyfully awaiting Him, or will I feel caught- completely unprepared?

Deliberate steps determine my preparedness…

He is returning…

I anticipate it being “soon”…

After all, my sister did the math…😉

-JC

Toffee & Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup soft butter
½ cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup quick oats
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped toffee pieces
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in toffee pieces and chocolate chips. Scoop out approximately 24 2” balls of dough.  Gently roll and flatten slightly. 
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ min. Garnish with melted Hershey Bar if desired.
Let set. Share!

“Then beware lest thou forget the Lord…”
Deuteronomy 6:12

 I calculated the simple square foot measurement of 15 x 12.

We were nearing the end of a basement remodel project and there was a small area where I had made a last-minute decision to change the flooring plan. There was no time to order materials and wait for shipping- but I had found a product I liked at the local Sam’s Club warehouse. 

I arrived as soon as they opened, hoping the product I had seen several days prior had been freshly stocked. I had figured I needed 20 boxes of flooring. I took an oversized cart and went straight to the flooring aisle and was delighted to see that although there was no new stock- there was enough. With the exciting energy of a flooring solution. I loaded the 10 boxes I needed onto my cart- grabbed an 11th- just in case my math was off (I know…) and went straight for the check stand. 

The cashier rang up my total bill. I slid my card trying to make sense of the final amount I owed. I double-checked with the cashier that she rang up all 11 boxes. She confirmed they were all accounted for. I assumed my math was off on how much I would owe. I had always been naturally good at math. But the concussion that had been plaguing me for months wreaked havoc on my simple mathematical skills. It was frustrating, but I had already reconciled with God that my situation could have been much worse and that I could regain that which seemed lost physically. 

I took my large boxes of flooring and loaded them into the back of my car. As I loaded them, I realized my miscount…

I determined I was 5 short… (I know…)

I returned to the store and retrieved 5 more boxes. I loaded them feeling pretty accomplished that I had just heaved these heavy boxes first onto the cart and then into my car- all by myself. 

I paused…

Looked at the coverage square foot listing on the box and turned to my calculator on my phone. 

I was “off”…

Still…

Really “off”…

I fought off the lump in my throat. 

Concussions are tough. It’s easy to get frustrated at what your brain is falling short of. Some days, words were hard to find, light sensitivity was bothersome and the headaches were an absolute constant companion. But I had already committed to God and myself that I could handle it…Perhaps therein lay the problem. I was trying to handle it too much on my own. 

At first, I prayed daily for my own healing. It felt a bit selfish with all of the suffering in the world that I would pray for my own healing- but it also seemed ridiculous to not exercise my faith in doing so. As days turned into weeks, and then into months, I became less faith-filled and less diligent in asking God for daily help. 

As I turned to enter the store for the third time, I was now running late with an errand that should have been simple…

I wanted to quit…

I got momentarily down on myself for my inability to even complete the simplest of tasks…

And then with likey the help of a higher power – I quit being so mean to myself. 

I recognized that math was not my biggest problem. Pride was…

I had to get real with myself…

It’s okay if things are different now. It’s okay if the notes on my phone have tripled – filled with seeming inconsequential information that I’m having trouble remembering. It’s okay that I put sticky notes everywhere to try and capture my attention reminding me of something important. 

It’s all okay…

What’s not okay is me thinking I can do it on my own. 

Such has never been the case when I’ve dealt with important matters and perhaps a sizable part of my journey is recognizing that I need not try and do anything “alone.” 

Independence is a beautiful thing- unless…until it means forgetting my Savior’s sacrifice and the accompanying enabling powers made possible therein…

I had temporarily forgotten that my Heavenly Father welcomes any and all requests for His help…Even if I’m just counting to twenty. 

-JC

Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies

1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
Add all ingredients at once to the food processor. Mix on high for approximately 1-2 minutes or until dough forms a ball. Add 1 Tablespoon additional flour for high elevation. Scoop out 16 – 1 ¼“ dough balls. Roll and flatten to ¼”. Refrigerate for 2+ hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Top with melted  peppermint flavored candy melting discs. (6 oz. vanilla melting discs mixed with ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.) Immediately top with Peppermint Crunch. Drizzle with a dark chocolate bar, if desired.  Let set. Share!

“…wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”
Luke 2:49

I had spent years praying broadly and months with specific pleading for blessings sought…

Nine months later, we got the call a bit earlier than expected. 
We were 653 miles from home. 
Whit packed up and headed south towards home. 
I went shopping for infant Nike tennis shoes…

The following morning we received the news that our first grandbaby was born. Mother and baby were both well. 

I caught a flight the following day and soon thereafter with a takeout meal in tow, I rang the doorbell at my son’s home. Nerves and excitement filled me as I awaited the opportunity to meet her…

Within moments I held a tiny infant in my arms. 

In time, I saw her beautiful blue eyes open as with the possibilities of her earthly life. 

I felt our spirits connect and wondered what conversations and agreements we may have made before. 

For certain, our course was now the same. We had been called and sent to earth for a season – to follow our Savior’s example and do the work of our Heavenly Father.

-JC

Caramel and Fudge Stuffed Marshmallow Krispies Cookies

4 Tablespoons butter
10.5 oz. mini marshmallows
½ teaspoon salt
7 oz. marshmallow fluff
7 cups crisped rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
Melt butter and mini marshmallows mixed with salt in a large bowl in the microwave. (Approximately 1 minute.) Stir in the marshmallow fluff until smooth. Stir in rice cereal. Scoop out 40 small mounds of marshmallow-cereal mixture onto a greased parchment sheet. Spray non-stick cooking spray on your hands.  Flatten slightly, especially in the center. Scoop 1 teaspoon of pre-made caramel dip (Lighthouse brand in the produce section of the grocery store) onto the center of half of the cookie discs. Spoon 1 teaspoon of Chocolate Fudge onto the caramel. Place an additional cookie disc onto the top of each caramel and fudge filled cookie. Gently press to seal edges. Work quickly while the marshmallow krispy mixture is still warm. Drizzle the top of each cookie with a melted chocolate bar. 
Let set. Share!

Chocolate Fudge
⅓ cup whole milk
1 cup chocolate chips
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
Melt chocolate chips and milk in the microwave for 1 minute and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Let cool until room temperature, or make ahead the day before and refrigerate until ready to use. Microwave for ten seconds to soften if made the day before.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5

The menu was a classic Sunday spread.- But a bit atypical for me: 
Pot roast, steamed carrots, and new potatoes with plenty of piping hot gravy. My sister was bringing salad and dessert; Mom would be in my kitchen soon with several loaves of homemade artisan bread and a batch of fluffy dinner rolls. 

I loved the chance to gather as an extended family with my own (adult) kids, my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews complete with random roommates in tow. 

I was trying out a new kitchen appliance to steam the veggies- an “Instapot”. In typical form, I tossed the instructions to the side and quickly loaded my pot with veggies.

I was moments away from a houseful of hungry dinner guests when the pot sounded its completion. I tried to open the lid. It was stuck. The concept of it being a pressure cooker was apparently in the print I failed to read. I told my husband I needed his help getting it open, deeming my compromised hand strength the problem. I stabilized the pot as he worked to twist the lid off. We forced the pot open, releasing the contents under pressure, and an over-filled vegetable side dish splattered on my wrist and clothes. I screamed in pain but quickly assessed the contents and finished filling the kitchen island full of food. As guests arrived, I invited them to fill their plates and quietly excused myself into my room. Tears quickly escaped my eyes as large blisters had already formed on my wrists and arms. 

I had badly burned myself because my attention to necessary details seemed less important than the completion of my task. 

I was more concerned about the destination and failed to take the time to focus on the best way to get there. 

The scars on my wrist serve as a daily reminder to me 
-to slow down
-to recognize that my imperfections sometimes cause harm to myself and others, but they don’t define me. 

My scars remind me that my perfect Brother, Jesus Christ has scars on his wrists too…

His represents redemption for me.

-JC

Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make a batch of: Brownie Cookies
1 20 oz. brownie mix
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Mix brownie mix, flour, oil and eggs  together until well blended.  Scoop out 24  -1+” balls and gently flatten.  Freeze for 1+ hours.

Make a batch of: Chocolate Chip Cookies
½ cup soft butter
½ cup buttered flavored Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop out approximately 24 – 2” balls of dough.  Flatten and wrap each cookie disc around a frozen Brownie Cookie disc. Work quickly so brownie cookie discs stay cold. 
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.   
Let set. Share!

“…walk, even as he walked.”
1 John 2:6

I met the over-qualified truck driver at his unloading location.

I had a sack lunch complete with warm chocolate chips waiting for him. 

Dad had taken a job driving truck twenty years prior after his east coast place of employment burned to the ground and our family’s savings had run dry. It was supposed to be a temporary position given his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics.  The pay was good and the work was steady. What was expected as a job for a few months, turned into years of employment.

Decades later, Following several zip code changes for both of us, I felt blessed to get to have lunch with him each week as his route brought him to my town. 

One week as I climbed up into the cab and sat chatting about the week’s inconsequential news, Dad looked beyond me out the window and said “Hold on a minute…”

He climbed out of the cab, walked slowly and intently toward an old building on site of where he would soon unload. It didn’t take me long to identify his purpose. There was an American flag tangled around its pole.He carefully and thoroughly unwrapped the faded Stars and Stripes until they literally hung free of twists and knots. He slowly walked back to the truck. I could tell he was tired- but never too tired to do the right thing. 

No one else may have ever noticed the untangled flag, but it has left a lasting impression on me reminding me to live a life filled with integrity. He simply did the right thing even if no one else would ever know. 

I often ponder this thought as it pertains to my choice in living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it feels easy to become lazy when I know no one is watching.  But that’s where I fall into check. My Father in Heaven is ALWAYS watching and my Savior is ALWAYS ready and willing to offer His grace and remind me of His life’s course and sacrifice.

I occasionally come across the poorly focused photo I took that day of Dad. The picture tells me a story of a man who didn’t wait for life to play out according to and as he worked for and expected it to – for him to praise God and live accordingly. Rather, it tells a story and refreshes my motivation to live a life of unwavering integrity.

-JC

Boston Cream Pie Cookies

1 cup soft butter
½  cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
3 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Cream butter, oil  and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until well blended. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 24 – 2” balls of dough. Gently roll and flatten slightly.
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ minutes. Let cool completely.
Pipe chilled Vanilla Cream straight from a Ziploc bag with a 1 inch corner trimmed off.  Top with a generous drizzle of Chocolate Ganache. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Share!

Vanilla Cream
2 – 5.1 oz. packages of vanilla instant pudding mix
2 ¼ cups cold milk
Dash of salt
12 oz. thawed Cool Whip
Beat pudding mix, milk and salt with an electric mixer until smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon into two different gallon sized Ziploc bags. (This will make it easier to handle.) Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat on low whisking constantly. Cool to room temperature.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

I sleepily grabbed my slippers and headed to the garage fridge for a Diet Coke. 

Whit was out of town on a foreign work assignment. The boys were up and getting ready for high school. I felt like I had put off the inevitable long enough and if I wanted to help get them out the door with breakfast and some packed sack lunches, I needed to get up and get moving. I returned to the kitchen, cracked my can open, and gathered items for breakfast. I often put forth the effort to make a nice hot breakfast before they left for school knowing the hours between breakfast and lunch were many. But I was tired… 

So I reached for several boxes of cereal and opened the fridge to get the milk that I had just purchased the day before at Costco. It wasn’t there. Apparently, I was too lazy to bring it into the house fridge and must’ve just dropped it off in the garage fridge. I went back outside to retrieve the milk and panicked as there was no milk in the garage fridge either. I immediately opened the backseat of my car. Sure enough! There were the 2 gallons of milk that I had bought the day before. The outside temperatures were warm enough that milk from the backseat was a no go. 

I snapped! 

I took the 2 gallons of milk and in an angry rage, I hurled them from the top of my hill by my driveway. I needed them to fly through the air gaining great height and speed to create a huge firework type explosion when they hit the ground. 

I needed to be heard. Some days I felt overworked, underappreciated, and completely out of sync while raising kids.

However, most of the time I truly loved the phase of life I was in… I always had a lot on my plate and a calendar filled with volunteer efforts within my kids at school, my community, and my church. I felt with a little organization and some extra Diet Coke… I could accomplish pretty much anything…

But not on this day… I was chatting it over with a friend and she reminded me of the scripture that she found to be helpful. She shared it with me and I felt as though it was the first time I was hearing it. Perhaps when I had studied it as a teenager the message didn’t really penetrate my heart as it did on that particular day. This was a season of life. It was fleeting. Just as in seasons before it would be gone before I knew it. I had always tried to be completely present in the phase I was in. Never wishing away and wanting to get to the next milestone. 

But with spoiled milk in the backseat of my car. I momentarily forgot… 

The slung milk jugs barely landed several feet down the hill. There was no explosion giving sound to my feelings that day. But perspective had been gained. 

As the weekend arrived I found myself making a signature treat and restocking the refrigerator full of Gatorades in anticipation of some teenage guy downtime. With renewed effort and re-energized form, I was grateful for my season… And recommitted to do better in being completely present for each fleeting moment.

-JC

Mint Chip and Chocolate Marbled Sugar Cookies

Make a batch of Mint Chip Cookies:
1 cup soft butter
½  cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon mint extract
A few drops green gel food coloring
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup Andes Mints pieces

Cream butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs, mint extract and food coloring; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and Andes Mint pieces. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 36 -1 ¼” balls of dough.

Make a batch of Chocolate Sugar Cookies:
1 cup soft butter
½  cup vegetable oil 1
¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cocoa powder
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Cream butter, oil  and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until well blended. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 36 -1 ¼“ balls of dough.  
Marble cookies by placing a disc of Mint Chip Cookie on top of a disc of Chocolate Sugar Cookie. Break into half, lengthwise and place one half on top of the other. Flatten slightly. You now have four layers of alternating flavors. Break and stack again. Roll into balls and flatten slightly.
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ min. Drizzle with melted Peppermint Dark Chocolate.  
Let set. Share!

Peppermint Dark Chocolate
⅔ cup dark chocolate melting discs
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Melt and stir until smooth. Use while still warm.

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
John 14:18

I was in trouble…

My shoelace was wrapped completely around my road bike pedal and my brand new bike computer had me clocked at 22 mph. 

I had amped up my triathlon training schedule and was seeing great gains in my ability and confidence. My scheduled race was a few weeks away and although riding on the county roads made me a bit nervous- I picked a less traveled one not far from our home with intentions to get some good speed work mixed with a few rolling hills. It was an out and back course that day and I was about 75% complete. I figured at the top of the next hill I would be able to see familiar neighborhoods indicating I was just a few more miles from home. 

I pushed the downhills as best I could and rested a bit coasting towards the bottom.

That’s when I felt a tug and pressure on the top of my foot. 

I had been telling myself for years that I was going to use my birthday money to get some road bike cleats. The problem was that my birthday was always after my race season ended. By late August I wanted a few new sweatshirts and a jacket to wear all fall, winter, and spring. So the road bike cleats were never purchased and usually, there was just a bit of regret the following summer as I amped up my workouts. 

Coasting down a hill at 22mph had me again regretting never purchasing the proper footwear. 

I panicked and prayed at the same time. My control was completely limited as my wheels spun freely. I swerved a bit worried about the occasional car that passed me. There was a long flat following this particular descent. Oh, how I wished there was an immediate steep hill climb so I could quickly slow my cruising bike. 

My focus had to shift. My speed didn’t matter, my wishes for a hill were worthless thoughts. 

I wondered how I’d fare in recovery if I bailed into the narrow grassy shoulder. My glimpse in that direction caused me concern about broken glass bottles and the cuts outweighed the bruises and potential bone brakes. There was no easy way out. 

I needed to deliberately hold my handlebars, narrow my focus, and remain upright. 

My renewed vigilance worked as my bike slowed enough for me to clumsily put my left foot down…sort of and finish with a bit of a controlled fall. 

I was scraped up, mad at myself, but completely fine. 

I felt the peace to steady my course was aided. I prayed, hoping for a miracle. There was no immediate rescue but rather enduring peace and increased strength to focus on my resolve. 

This is how Christ meets me.- right where I am – and He steady’s me- even endures with me enabling me with strength and fortitude beyond my own. 

He meets me there (wherever I am) and asks me to do the same for others whether we are cruising at 22mph completely outta control or absolutely stuck gaining no speed nor progression. I continue to learn just how perfectly Christ won’t leave me…ever…

-JC

Cinnamon Streusel Cookies

1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups cinnamon chips

Cream butter, sour cream and sugar with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2+ Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in cinnamon chips. Scoop out 24+ 2” balls of dough. Dough will be sticky. Flatten slightly. Top each cookie with 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon Streusel.
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15+ minutes. Immediately drizzle warm cookies with Vanilla Glaze. 
Let set. Share!

Cinnamon Streusel
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cold butter, cubed
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Cut all ingredients together until crumbly.  

Vanilla Glaze
3 Tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Use a food processor to thoroughly mix all ingredients.

“For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
Isaiah 41:11

For several decades I would have a vivid recurring dream. I was always sitting on the same old wooden serene bridge with my feet dangling not too far above a beautiful peaceful creek. 

I was always sitting there with a man. His presence seemed to allow me to feel safe. 

For years I tried to understand and make sense of who this man could possibly be. I felt happy. I felt heard. And an unmistakable peace. 

I had often thought back to the day of my childhood when we were visiting my dear grandmother. Visits were rare, but I felt so loved by her and loved being in her fancy house with beautiful breakable things. I mostly loved the smell of her kitchen.  There were always cookies in a jar on the counter and smells of the most delicious food as she spent hours preparing the next meal. One afternoon, Dad borrowed a canoe, strapped it to the top of the station wagon and we went canoeing down a small river.  The landscape was cozy with vegetation thick near the shore and trees growing close to the edge with branches overhanging the water. There were bends and breaks in the river that only allowed us to see just a small way ahead.  Dad taught me how to control the course of the canoe with the movement of my paddle on the right then left side. He taught me how to use the paddle to maximize pull in the water to efficiently propel forward.  It was a perfect day.

There were parallels to the scene from that day in my childhood to the creek in my dream, but in my dream, my view and vantage point of the heavily vegetated creek was from above…

I tried to make note of any notable experiences I was having in life that coincided with the dreams. There was nothing obvious to help me understand why I would have the recurring dream. 

One day I was talking it over with a friend having experienced the vivid dream the night before. She suggested to me that perhaps I was at a simple crossroads in my life. Perhaps a simple trial or faith-building experience. Perhaps…as I was trying to navigate the turns in the waters ahead, I understood a different perspective might help add clarity to the path. 

Perhaps- the man on the bridge was God. I felt an unabandoning closeness to Him that never felt deserved. The peace I felt was definitely always in accompaniment and unfailing. 

Perhaps the dream was a reminder and an invitation to prayer- to talk it over with God and an accompanying promise that He would never leave me. That in Him and His son was a never expiring path of peace…

-JC

Peanut Butter Stuffed Nutella Cookies

½ cup soft butter
½ cup butter flavored Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup dark cocoa 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Scoop 24 Tablespoons of peanut butter onto a parchment lined sheet and freeze overnight. 
Cream butter, Crisco, Nutella and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add an additional 2 Tablespoons flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 48 – 1” balls of dough.  Flatten and wrap each disc around the bottom half of a frozen peanut butter scoop. Flatten a second disc of dough for the top of each cookie and seal the edges.  Flatten slightly.
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ minutes  Drizzle with melted peanut butter if desired.
Let set. Share!

“…that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
John 15:11

My boys watched vigilantly out the window of our living room. They chatted about Batman, matchbox car races, catching bugs, and the anticipation of riding big wheels later that afternoon.  

It was garbage day and this would be their perch until the sounds of the big truck rounded the corner. They would then immediately run into the front yard and cheer in delight as the large equipment anchored to the side of the truck lifted up our garbage can, emptied it, and returned it to the street in front of our home. The garbage man always indulged them with a quick honk from his cab and they cheered him on as he continued down the street until he was no longer in view.

Each week as the large overstuffed can was hauled to the curb, their excitement was intense. My only joy was the ability to begin- again my tasks with an empty can…

Their joy was simple, pure, and uncompromising… 

I can easily break this down to choice…

I didn’t teach them from a young age to love garbage… 

The experience in its entirety was born from my oldest son’s innocence and uncomplicated ability to see the good in life. 

Decades have since passed…

No one watches anymore from the picture window on garbage day.  As I hear the squeals from brakes and unmistakable signature sounds of the garbage truck nearing, sometimes, I’m awakened from a dead sleep, grab slippers, and race to get a forgotten can to the curb… On other, more organized mornings, I lay in bed remembering… 

I can choose joy. A joyful life comes from choosing Christ as the center. Doing so is simply my choice.

-JC

Spiced Apple Sundae Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup soft butter
½ cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup quick oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 12 large balls of dough.  Gently roll and flatten slightly.
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.)  
Place dough balls onto greased individual baking dishes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12+ min. Immediately scoop vanilla ice cream onto warm cookies. Top with Warm Spiced Apples and Caramel Sauce. (I like Smuckers Salted Caramel Sauce.)

Warm Spiced Apples
6 large apples, peeled and sliced
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of salt
Stir together sugar, spices, and salt. Evenly toss over the apples. Cook the apples over medium-high heat until tender crisp.