Cookies and Christ
Stories of Faith And Recipes
Acting out the “Hard” I was Feeling…
I was sitting there on the floor… legs crossed, pulled up to my chest wondering to myself what would happen next.
I wasn’t sure how or why I did it… but clearly I was acting out the “hard” I was feeling.
It was 3rd grade Math class. The pattern was typical and had been played out countless times. We were to do our daily worksheet. Gratefully, Math was easy for me. I always quickly finished my work and waited with the rest of my classmates quietly at our desks until our teacher noted all had finished.
She then asked us to get up from our seats and move one seat backward to grade the Math sheet of the person sitting behind us. This was a normal routine for our classroom.
I was somewhat disgruntled with my newly assigned seat in the back corner of the classroom. And yet- I can’t say that I know why I did it. But I do remember having angst toward my teacher… I guess I was done conforming to classroom routine… Literally just “done”… So, sitting in my back row desk, upon the call from our teacher to move back one seat for grading, I did just that…
The remainder of my classmates sitting in the back row all moved to the front row as had been done countless times that school year.
As I “moved back one seat “ and sat on the floor, I heard gasps mixed with giggles. I wasn’t even sure I regretted my decision.
Reflecting on the experience even as an adult – I’m surprised a bit that THIS is my story. I was a fairly compliant child at that age. There was no great tragedy or stress in my life that caused me to act out. I think I was just “done”…
I feel that way in life sometimes.
“Done” Or at least I want to be…
Done with the struggle…
Done with the pain…
Done with the loneliness…
Done with the heartache…
Done with all things hard…
I know as I work harder to control my thoughts and focus on gratitude and my blessings- I am able to work through the “done” feeling and come out on the other side motivated to keep going.
But sometimes- my only prayer- the only words available for me to utter are “I’m having a hard time…” I don’t ask for strength or guidance or courage. I feel too little energy or resolve to utilize those blessings. I just simply feel “done”… As I linger in those prayers…holding back tears as my lips quiver, my throat seems to close and I lack the ability to keep speaking. I know God hears me.
If I stay “there” in prayer- having shared my weak but honest message- I don’t feel ashamed. I know I haven’t disappointed God… I know – He knows… All my pains, imperfections and weaknesses.
In that moment, He doesn’t love me less than when I’m energized and joy-filled in my journey. I simply feel His perfect love for me. If I chose- I can feel enveloped in it and held- right where I am.
In time- perhaps the next morning with a new sunrise providing a new opportunity- I can “get up”…
I can choose faith to…
Keep trying…
Keep believing…
Keep trusting.
I won’t be perfect, but that’s not what God’s asking from me.
My strength is not my own in good times nor hard.
He wants me to remember He is there and that momentary AND everlasting peace is available to me because of the selfless sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Claiming that peace when I feel “done” is up to me…
-JC
Chocolate- Chocolate Chip Marble Cookies
Make a small batch of Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies:
¼ cup soft butter
¼ cup butter flavored Crisco
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 XL egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons cocoa. (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in egg and vanilla; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 1-2 more Tablespoons of flour for high elevations. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop out approximately 24 -1” balls of dough. Flatten slightly.
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 XL eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 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; 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 slightly.
Create marble effect by stacking a disc of Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie dough onto disc of Chocolate Chip Cookie dough. Break in half. Stack again. You now have four alternating layers. Flatten slightly. Break in half and stack again to create eight alternating layers. Roll into a ball and flatten slightly. For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 min.
Let set. Share!
Awakening My Inner Spiritual Warrior
We are witnessing something powerful.
Can you feel it?
I feel an intensity of two distinct powers.
One of which causes me exhaustion, hopelessness, and fear. And the other awakens my inner spiritual warrior, reminding me I chose to enlist in God’s army in a premortal realm. I agreed to face and faithfully fight on the hard days, riddled with inadequate and restless feelings and dotted with unknown paths that lie ahead. I promised to battle the adversary fiercely and fearlessly.
The truth is: I’ve been training for this day for 50 years…
When I was young, a group of girls from school were talking about a flyer we all received. It was information on a summer softball team. I had played plenty of kickball in my backyard as a kid with my dad and the neighborhood kids. I understood softball to share the same general concepts so I showed up at the school fields on the first day of practice. I was introduced to new skills such as proper techniques for throwing, catching and batting. I was undersized and seemingly slow to catch on but I knew I would improve.
At the end of practice, following the final huddle, Coach asked me to stay back for a minute. I nervously approached her as she gazed at her clipboard. She simply said. “I don’t think you can succeed in this sport and I’m asking you not to come back.”
I felt devastated, embarrassed, and defeated.
However, I fought those feelings of inadequacy and focused my efforts on the community’s summer swim team.
Our first meet was just a few weeks after the initial practice. I felt unprepared as I was still learning stroke techniques, shallow diving, and flip turns.
Nevertheless, I had a piece of paper with my name and event and I was standing in a line with a group of girls I didn’t know from teams across the region, waiting for my turn to race. With each fire of the starting gun, another race began and all 8 of us followed our lane lines and slowly moved to the front towards the pool.
Soon- it was my turn…
The starting gun sounded, startling me, and I hesitated – eventually joining the other 7 swimmers in the water, imperfectly splashing our way down the lane. We were doing our best- with the resources we had to battle self-doubt and swim hard.
These, and countless other seemingly inconsequential experiences over the years, coupled with accompanying choices have brought me to this very place and time.
The world is enduring a high level of chaos.
There is exhaustion in meeting demands in the family as roles and proximity to help have shifted. There’s anxiety regarding financial burdens – those realized today and those projected for the future. There’s the pain of loneliness and loss.
And I feel like I’m at the front of the line, it’s my turn to climb up on the starting block and shed the doubt of previous disappointments and self-defeating thoughts of being unprepared, or insufficient. It’s time for me to realize I’m here at this time, for a purpose and all God wants from me is to reach out with faith and do my best.
If my strokes are flawed and my turns aren’t sharp, it’s ok. I just need to keep my promise and try my best to help God in any way I can. He will accept my imperfect efforts and count them for good.
I testify He is here. He is with us. We are not alone. He sends aid in the form of angels- seen and unseen. He extends comfort and tender mercies to show us of His perfect love. And He sends His Son to help us carry the burdens that seem overwhelming and discouraging.
How do I know?
As I silence the clamor in the world around me, I hear Him. I feel His love. I know Him.
It’s my turn to step up to the front lines and fight for truth, fight for Christ. My inner spiritual warrior is ready to battle the adversary who is the source of fear and anxiety, and dispels faith.
I’m ready…
One step at a time-
One day at a time…
Choosing to know Him.
Choosing to testify of Him, my Savior- my source of enduring peace.
-JC
Lemon Cream Frosted Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookies
1 cup soft butter
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter, oil and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs, vanilla extract; don’t overmix. 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. For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12+ min. Let cool. Frost with Lemon Cream Frosting. Garnish with fresh lemon zest if desired. let Set. Share!
Lemon Cream Frosting
8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ cup soft butter
Zest of two medium lemons
Juice of two medium lemons (¼ cup)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3+ cups powdered sugar
Dash of salt
Cream together cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon juice, lemon extract, 1 cup of powdered sugar and dash of salt. Mix until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and whip on high for 3-5 minutes. Place in freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.
Not a fan of lemon? Simply frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
The Road That Leads Me Home…
I’m still trying to figure “it” out…
The past several years are filled with countless failed attempts… And yet each day is part of the story I write for myself- through choice.
A few months ago I returned to Richland, Washington. It’s the place we lived and raised our family for 20 years. I saw many familiar faces and reconnected with dear friends and family. The week was packed with people I love and experiences I hope to not soon forget. I was blessed to experience meaningful mixed with seemingly meaningless long talks well into the night, cartwheeling off the boat dock of a lake with amazing women (despite the minimal coordination I have left), giggles of delight from nieces and nephews playing with our dog, proudly observing personal progression of loved ones and the peace and joy it brings, the best pedicure with the best people, and attending church… Where I once grew in my own testimony, and my family came to worship each week as they grew in their own.
Along the roads in this town, I reminisced of the years where I tasked imperfectly… Loved imperfectly… And grew imperfectly as a mother and as a steward in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I delighted in assignments to help in my church congregation and teaching strong youth sent to earth in these days as we near the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I feel like I was able to have a glimpse of this next generation as their loving Father in Heaven sees them- as warriors who fought with great strength for the opportunity to come to earth and are now fighting to understand their Heavenly Father‘s love and their purpose in His plan.
Nothing- and yet everything was perfect… It was home…
Years later as I drove through familiar streets that had since experienced new growth, I reflected on where my journey has taken me, and how I fit into God’s plan…
My recent roads have led me to being blessed to meet amazing new friends and strengthen family bonds that were more like casual acquaintances than cherished loved ones. I’ve had opportunities to serve, love, and grow in my discipleship of Christ. I’ve felt loved and welcomed and trusted with friendship.
And yet, with another new zip code change- I sit amongst my “stuff”. My furniture, clothes, and knick-knacks are in different rooms with different configurations. I am the same person but I often feel misplaced… I’ve tried to invest my heart and soul in creating a home where all feel welcome and yet I often feel like a stranger here…
Some say “Home is where the heart is…”
My heart and purpose feel a bit lost…
So how do I let go of my own expectations and seemingly clouded visions for my future and learn how to help my heart find the road that leads me home? How do I find the strength to fight like the warrior I know I am as a daughter of God? How do I proceed with authenticity in trying to connect to my spiritual knowledge of home…?
I’m still trying to figure it out… And yet I believe I know how to… The feeling is familiar…
Perhaps I am at yet another crossroads of faith. Some have questioned my decisions. I’ve questioned them myself… But I know where that path leads… Doubts, fears, and frustrations are some of the adversary’s favorite tools.
If I slow and observe the world around me, I see many walking the paths Christ walked, serving and loving as He did…Teaching of His ways in word and deed…And stepping in faith allowing the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to provide a way home.
As I seek Him, I find motivation-
– To search for eternal perspective in my purpose.
-To try a little harder to trust in God’s plan for me.
-To not quit or give up when times get tough and pleas for specific blessings seem to go unanswered.
-To keep working, keep believing, keep walking in faith.
-To recognize that God is there. He is certainly there. He is here.
-And He sends a host of angels to cheer me on!
In and through choosing Christ, my Savior, – is strength… and healing… Even for my heart still searching for the perfectly imperfect road that leads me home.
-JC
S’mores Brookie Cookies
Make a batch of S’mores Cookies
½ cup soft butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 XL egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in egg and vanilla; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 1 Tablespoon more flour for high elevation. Scoop out 18 1¼ “ balls of dough. Roll them into balls. Flatten slightly.
Make a batch of Brownie Cookies
1 -18 oz. brownie mix
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Mix together brownie mix, flour, oil and eggs until thoroughly combined.
Scoop out 18 1¼” balls of dough. Roll them into balls. Flatten slightly.
Place a disc of S’mores Cookie dough directly onto a disc of Brownie Cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and place a slice of Campfire Giant size marshmallow on top of cookie. (I cut each campfire marshmallow into three circular discs.) Return to oven for 2 minutes. Remove and immediately gently press ¼ of a 1.55 oz. Hershey bar on top.
Let set. Share!
-JC
A Momma’s Prayer
Over the years, my prayers as a mother have included exhausted utterances while drifting off to sleep, simple statements of regret and remorse, and intense pleas begging for the heavens to open and send blessings and angels to comfort my children. I know God hears me… His wisdom is perfect and complete, whereas mine is not. I know I am His daughter. His love for me is perfect. In Him, I am enough. I pray my children will understand these truths for themselves.
I pray that my children will intentionally seek their Heavenly Father and His Son, their Savior. I pray they seek to gain their own complete knowledge of the existence of a loving God who prepared the world and plan of personal experience for each of us. I pray they seek Jesus Christ. I pray they work to pattern their life after His teachings and His continued and sustaining love. I pray they work to feel God‘s love and mercy despite the seeming darkness amidst trials, unfairness, and struggles.
I pray they authentically surrender their will to the Father’s and trust and fight here on earth as they fought to come here to gain a body and experiences. I pray they recognize the familiar feeling as they pray to their Heavenly Father, of a time where they were in His presence. I pray these feelings will sustain them as they work to return to Him to live again with God and Christ, their Savior, in a state of peace, and love and with the families they choose to grow in faith.
I pray they find love, work to grow it, and emulate Christ’s love back into the world around them. I pray they receive the angels, seen and unseen who worked tirelessly to minister unto them and cheer for them in this cause.
I pray they understand it’s OK to sometimes feel broken; that they see in their brokenness, that they can be taught. God and His Son love them where they are and in so doing- teach them how to love others.
I pray they choose to come to know themselves as God knows them. – That they tirelessly work to become the son or daughter that God sees in them.
I pray they truly understand that Christ’s Atonement reaches them – always – no matter what… And that salvation through it is a personal experience.
I pray they choose to dedicate their life to testifying of Christ through all they do and say, believing that together they can and will change the world, one person at a time -beginning with the choice one who gazes back at them in the mirror.
Because I know that every effort is recognized and loved by God, and every footstep in faith is accompanied by Jesus Christ. I pray that when the climb seems too difficult when blessings seem to go unrecognized, and when life seems to be filled with more disappointments and devastation than joy… that they don’t quit… I pray that they will forever keep trying, keep believing, and keep growing their faith in Jesus Christ, their Savior, Advocate and Eternal Friend.
-JC
Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookie
1 cup soft butter
10 oz. lemon greek yogurt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 XL eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Cream butter, yogurt and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs, vanilla, and lemon extracts; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Chill dough for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out approximately 36+ 1 ½ ” balls of dough. Gently roll. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/4” tall. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min. Let cool. Frost cookie with Strawberry Cream Frosting. Drizzle with Lemon Icing. Let set. Share!
Lemon Icing
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Blend until smooth. Spoon into freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.
Strawberry Cream Frosting
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup soft butter
1 oz. crushed (to powder form) freeze dried strawberries
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, butter and strawberry powder. Add vanilla, then mix. Stir in powdered sugar. Mix until fluffy. Spoon into freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.
-JC
The Purpose of Life
I arrived at the emergency room with a warm BBQ brisket sandwich, a box of crackers and a few cookies stashed in my large purse. I wasn’t sure what to bring.
I felt a bit panicked as I received the call 30 minutes prior from Bry that he was taking his sweet wife, Jodi, to the emergency room with stroke-like symptoms. I looked around the kitchen for the requested “low-key” food. I fumbled. My daughter-in-law, Katie suggested a brisket sandwich and took over the kitchen clean up as I hurried out the door.
The 25-minute drive was filled with reflection of how blessed I felt to live near my sons and their wives. They impress me, motivate me and generously include me in their lives. I thought of my dreams for the future with them, and their families. My thoughts were interrupted by a call from Bry. It was a quick update. His voice was calm. I told him I was almost there and he told me he wasn’t sure they would let me back in the room but was grateful for me coming.
Moments later I authoritatively “mommed” my way into the emergency exam room. I arrived to see this beautiful couple I am blessed to call family. I could see the pain in Jodi’s eyes and yet she smiled and welcomed me. Bry was generous with his gratitude for the snacks and assertively informed me of Jodi’s status- and diagnosis of a mini-stroke. I was impressed with his unwavering fortitude and understanding of the medical terms and conditions, having spent the semester taking a graduate-level neurology class.
Over the next several hours as ER personnel came in and out of the room, reporting on test results, drawing blood, and ordering more tests, I observed the mood of the room. Bry emanated peace, strength, and courage. Jodi was candid and strong with her sense of humor regarding the barrage of questions. At one point, the nurse asked the required questions to complete the chart.
“What year is it?”
“Where are you?”
“Why are you here?”
Simple complete answers were given to the first two questions.
The third question, Jodi paused and quipped…”Oh… you want to talk about the purpose of life…”
I was amused, humbled, impressed, and then deep in thought. Certainly, THIS was the purpose. Easy days mixed with hard days… Times of joy and times of sorrow… Thoughts of certainty mingled with questions of uncertainty…
And through it all, I have a choice- Journey alone, succeeding or failing as per my own merit, or take Christ by the hand.
On this particular hard day, as I observed a loving son warmly smile as he looked at his wife, who lay in obvious discomfort with cold toes and a bit weary from unanswered questions, I couldn’t help but be grateful. My own journey to testimony and Christ was enunciated during hard days where I seemingly was at a crossroads of faith.
My son and his wife were growing in their Savior’s light and grace. God was entrusting them with this trial. I saw their faith…their resolve…and Christ’s light as it filled a cramped hospital room. Two young people, stepping in faith, choosing to trust in God and believing in strength beyond their own made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I felt my own resolve strengthen, and gratitude that there is a way to ease life’s burdens and feel the peace and joy that come as I choose to trust and believe in Christ’s ways, even on hard days.
-JC
Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
14 oz. sweetened flaked coconut
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup mini chocolate chips
1 ½ cups chocolate melting discs
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Stir together coconut, milk, vanilla, flour and chocolate chips. Fold egg white mixture into coconut mixture. Scoop out 18 2” balls onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees. Let cool. Melt chocolate discs in microwave safe bowl. Dip bottoms of macaroons into chocolate. Return to parchment paper. Garnish with remaining melted chocolate. Let set. Share. Enjoy!
-JC
One Step In Faith
I reserved a twenty-six foot Uhaul truck and purchased my first stack of moving boxes. The transactions seemed like I had stepped into someone else’s life. It had been a six-month process to get to this point and yet just then, it finally felt real. We were leaving our home, our extended family, my children’s hometown- to follow a prompting we didn’t understand…
Through the years, I had tried to understand God’s will for me. It usually took a simple direction of baking treats for a neighbor, reaching out with a friendly text or doorstep visit. I tried to teach my kids of the peace that comes from choosing to dedicate your life to being an instrument in God’s hands; in doing His work. I relayed to them the simplicity in loving as Christ did and the joy and peace that come as we unselfishly show true charity.
However, THIS seemed too far beyond what I ever expected God to ask us to do.
Six months prior I sat in the Denver, Colorado airport during a layover. I had just spent a delightful weekend with my sisters and parents and was heading back home to my family on a Sunday afternoon. I had my headphones in and was listening to talks from a worldwide conference The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was broadcasting that weekend. Elder Eyring began his address and before long I found myself physically turning to see who was talking to me in the airport. I saw no one but the urgency of the message pressed on.
I returned home in time to exchange the parenting torch with my husband. He was headed out of town on a business trip shortly after I returned. I spent much time that week re-listening to the messages shared at the conference the previous weekend, searching for a inkling of the returning feeling I had at the airport. I relistened to Elder Eyring’s account of a potential job change following an offer he received years prior. It was simple in my mind. That message didn’t apply to us because Whit hadn’t even applied to a new job- let alone received an offer.
In an effort to rid myself of the responsibility to talk over with Whit a potential prompting- I told him of my experience as we chatted over the phone while he was away on his trip. He felt that we were definitely on the right track in life and that where we were was exactly where God needed us to be. I was completely relieved.
Weeks later while on another trip to Washington DC for work, Whit called and told me he knew we needed to change employment and zip code. Despite my initial thoughts regarding the possible change, I felt blindsided. Neither of us wanted change. We were happy. Our family was happy. We loved our home and community and especially the proximity to extended family.
The first steps in faith opened doors of seeming miracles on a direct path of incredibly uncomfortable change. I prayed that I could have the fortitude of faith required to take one step with no knowledge of the distant scene ahead. It was physically exhausting in packing up our lives of living in the same town for 20 years and preparing to start anew in a place completely foreign to us. Moreso, it was emotionally exhausting to think of impossible goodbyes in the immediate future.
With the final box taped and the garage contents filling the moving truck, I was numb. I knew our lives were changing; tough days would certainly lie ahead and yet- constant peace served as my companion. I would not have been able to say goodbye to a place I loved and people I held dear had I not known that the purpose was in God’s hands and His perfect knowledge.
I felt it was the ultimate test. Would I follow Christ as a true disciple in doing ALL God asked of me? Or was my faith conditional upon me understanding the purpose?
I feared disappointing God more than I feared the unknown so I tried to stay focused on the seemingly washed away footprints in the sand of Christ carrying the load and laying out the course ahead of me of true discipleship. Tears clouded my sight as I tried to find peace in just one step at a time…
That was my goal.
Nothing more…
Nothing less…
Just one step in faith…
And then another…
-JC
Banana Bread Cookies with Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Chips
½ cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup mashed banana
½ cup lightly toasted coconut
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in sour cream, egg and vanilla. Don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2+ Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Fold in mashed banana, toasted coconut and chocolate chips. Scoop 1.5” mounds of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes depending on size. Let cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with Coconut Cream Glaze. Immediately sprinkle additional toasted coconut and mini chocolate chips. Let set. Share!
Coconut Cream Glaze
¼ cup coconut milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Transfer into freezer strength Ziploc until ready to use.
-JC
“Tri” A Little Harder
The seasons were passing quickly. In our home, they were referenced by soccer, football, basketball, and baseball. It was busy, challenging and super rewarding to see the kids take on the rigors of playing sports, adjusting to disappointment, and savoring every little success whether measured in statistics or toughness.
I missed competing myself but was grateful for the re-focus I felt was part of my journey through my injury.
At age 9, Jess informed me she was retiring from the swim team after two extremely successful summer seasons. I giggled at her assertiveness in choosing for herself what she wanted and clearly didn’t want to do. Her practices were early every summer morning. I was NOT disappointed that I didn’t have to shuttle her at 6 am.
One summer morning, I was organizing the garage and noted the thick layer of dust on my road bike that I had used for my triathlon competitions. I momentarily wished I could compete again, despite my spiritual efforts to trust that God was in the details of my life: moments of glory and moments of seemingly stalled progression.
I shook off the regret as I decided maybe Jess would be interested in competing in the kids’ triathlon held every August along the river walk in town. I put the idea “out there” and told her to think about it. I was giddy with excitement when she agreed to give the tri a try!!
Competition day in August arrived and I had enough butterflies for both of us. She didn’t seem nervous at all. She had practiced swimming in the river, transitioning into the bike and eventually the run. The starting horn went off and I cheered loudly even though I knew she couldn’t hear me through her swim cap and water! She was quick out of the water and despite my urging otherwise, she meticulously took time to dry her feet and put socks on before lacing up her shoes. She decisively told me socks should always be worn with running shoes! Absolutely no parents were allowed in the transition area, so we shrugged from afar as many kids passed her during this lengthy transition.
I was a couple of hundred yards up the sidewalk from the crowds as I saw Jess coming toward me on my old oversized bike. I delighted in the new rider. The bike course was only a 4-mile out and back route. It wasn’t long before we began to see kids returning back to the transition area and begin their 1-mile run. My heart raced as I saw my old bike descending quickly into the transition area. I couldn’t believe Jess was back already!
I quickly recalled how many runners were already on the course and challenged Jess to catch as many as she could! Her cheering section (family) spotted the course offering encouragement along the route! I grinned in disbelief as I saw her cross the finish line having placed in the top group!
Turns out God knows and loves me perfectly… something I always believed in faith… I felt His law of compensation returned a greater joy that day than had I been in an afar off elite competition myself. I felt grateful. I felt my faith grow.
There had been many days in the previous several years where I was frustrated with not understanding God’s ways or the lessons He was providing me opportunities to learn. However, on a warm August day, on a bike path along the Columbia River, I was granted a window into the joy possible when I trust in my Heavenly Father and allow the Atonement of Jesus Christ to ease my sorrow. I was motivated to commit to try a little harder to more completely trust God.
-JC
Snickers Stuffed Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup soft butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 XL eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup dark cocoa
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add an additional 2 Tablespoons flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 24 2” balls of dough. Place an unwrapped fun size Snickers Peanut Butter candy in the center of each ball and move the cookie dough to surround the Snickers. Gently roll. For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 min. In freezer strength Ziploc bag, gently microwave ½ cup peanut butter. In a different Ziploc, melt 2 milk chocolate Hershey bars. Cut a small hole in the corner of each bag and drizzle onto cookies. Let set! Share!
Climbing Mountains
It was a hot July afternoon when I showed up for a suggested parent fundraiser for the high school boys basketball team. My oldest was an incoming freshman with aspirations to play not just high school basketball, but eventually in the NBA. He would often ask me if I thought it was possible. I would always tell him the same thing. “You are going to have to work harder than anyone else and then decide with God if it’s what He would have you do.” At 14, motivated by the pure love of the game, he worked harder than anyone else.
As a parent, I felt like it was my job to do whatever I could to support him. Participating in events that supported the program felt like a fair parental sacrifice. We were a sports-loving family. I was currently training and only four weeks away from competing in my first Elite Division Sprint Triathlon. My early morning workouts gave me time to think and ponder and be grateful for the blessings that filled our lives.
On that particular July afternoon, a handful of parents showed up; most of us were parents of freshman… The task was simple. We were asked to move a hundred cars from a car dealership across the river bridge to a local shopping mall parking lot for an off-site sale. We each drove a car across the bridge, met at the mall, and were shuttled back to the dealership in a van to drive another car over.
The service opportunity extended well over the agreed-upon period of time. I troubled in seeing a job unfinished so I stayed late to help complete the task.
On our last lap to the mall, only a few of us remained. It was now well into rush hour and traffic was heavy. We were about halfway over the four-lane -half a mile long bridge when traffic abruptly stopped. I stopped and immediately looked in my rearview mirror to ensure the vehicle behind me had stopped as well. His head was down and I could tell he was moving quickly. I immediately turned my wheels to maneuver into the adjacent lane when his solid Ford truck struck with great force the small, tin can of a car I had been asked to drive. The force of the crash sent me sailing seemingly in mid-air into the adjacent lane that was miraculously clear of traffic. I managed across the bridge and pulled over. The driver of the truck jumped out iterating a slew of apologies.
I made a phone call and the car dealership sent an employee to pick me up. The car I was driving was totaled. I was in complete shock- physically and mentally. I put on a tough face as the dealership manager told me he was grateful for my help and that this was a “best-case scenario for them financially”. Given my physical pain, it seemed ridiculously harsh.
My husband had just left the day before on a 14 day business trip to Spain. I knew I needed to quickly get home as I was now hours later than I told the kids I would return. I drove home and began to feel ALL of the pain…
In the following year, I racked up well over six figures in medical expenses and a surgery that would hopefully enable me to have a somewhat normal life. However, I was told I would likely never be able to run again. The news wasn’t even that hard to hear given the problems I had. I was a mom of 3 whose husband traveled two weeks of the month. I simply needed to function. I needed to grocery shop, vacuum, walk to the stadium from the car, fold laundry and sit in church with my family. Competing again was not even a remote concern.
A year after the accident at a post-surgery appointment with my orthopedic doctor who was a close family friend, he explained the limitations I would face moving forward. He apologized that “this” happened to me. With absolute surety, I told him I would do it all over again to keep the lessons I learned and the resulting refining spiritual growth. He was surprised by my response and asked me if I would perhaps later share my thoughts. I agreed.
I felt the lessons were simple. I needed to not lose sight of my footings on the covenant path. There are many amazing opportunities in the world today. And I needed to re-focus my efforts on what mattered most. What were my core values and goals? As I did the spiritual work to better identify what was important and what was not, personal truths emerged clearly.
As I journeyed through trials in the past, I often wondered if I quickly learned all I needed to, could I shorten the time-table of the struggle?
I am certainly NOT going to say that I believe that this is how God works. But it IS how I work. Peace in my struggle comes more quickly as I assess what I can learn from the climb up the mountain God has entrusted me to ascend.
-JC
Peppermint Fudge Frosted Chocolate Sugar Cookies
1 cup soft butter
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
¾ cup cocoa (I use ½ cup regular, ¼ cup dark)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter, oil and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla; don’t overmix. 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. For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12+ min. Let cool. Frost with Peppermint Fudge Frosting. Garnish as desired with melted white candy disks sprinkled with chopped peppermint candy sticks. Let set. Share!
Peppermint Fudge Frosting
1 cup whole milk
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Dash of salt
Melt chocolate chips into milk in microwave. Add peppermint extract and salt; stir until smooth.
Transfer into freezer strength Ziploc. Let cool until room temperature.
-JC
The “For Sale” Sign Next Door
I nearly escaped the dredges of my third round of post-partum depression. It had been the most relentless thus far. My feelings of inadequacy as a mother were multiplied as I felt like a failure with the two older boys, and now again a perfect baby, this time a girl, stared back at me- an unworthy worthless soul. My spiritual heart knew there was no truth to such sentiments. And yet, they were the very thoughts that seemingly swept across me ignoring my microscopic attempts of the fight.
Rebounding and emerging from the grasps of the condition always involved settling back into an exercise routine and avoiding brownies as my primary source of nutrition.
My heart longed for a friend: loyal, kind, without judgment. I was plenty hard in judging myself and super quick to see all of my imperfections. I needed a friend who was a safe place to land: physically and emotionally.
We were blessed to have purchased our home five years prior in an incredible neighborhood. It was down the street from the new elementary school and filled with the most amazing people. Right next door, we were blessed with great neighbors. As the years passed, they all moved on and out of our starter home neighborhood. We added a couple of extra bedrooms and a large family room to the house and thus had plenty of room for our growing family. However, the dynamics of our neighborhood had changed, and I felt a bit lonely.
When the house next door again sported a “For Sale” sign, I returned to the spiritual process that had worked so well as a Junior in high school. I fervently prayed daily for good neighbors that could provide friendships for me and my kids. God smiled largely on us and the most remarkable family moved next door: the Disneys. I have no doubt God was involved in the details of bringing that family next door to us. They were exactly what our family needed at that time in our lives. We would often hear the doorbell ring and answer it to see their oldest daughter with a warm plate of cookies. Her sweet smile and attitude of love as she represented everything her family was- filled and mended my heart and soul. Life seemed momentarily perfect!
Dawn, the mother, was everything in a friend that I felt like I needed and I soon realized she was everything I wanted to be as a person who exhibited Christ-like love to others. I noted how she spoke to her children- and mine with kindness and a gentle tone. I noticed how she served without hesitation or judgment. I noticed how she included everyone around her and yet deferred praise and recognition.
I feel like God blessed me with a friend, but truly so much more. He needed me to refine a bit… And he placed an example of the most Christ-like person I had ever met right next door as a model for goal attainment. My Father in Heaven needed me to try a little harder to understand, believe and therefore become a bit more Christlike. He needed me to understand and see first hand the good and ripple effect that comes as we act as Christ did- and as we love as Christ did. I was extremely blessed to have this incredible woman as my neighbor and blessed beyond belief to call her friend. I knew I needed to pay attention and learn from her how to be a bit more kind, gentle, and charitable.
Over the years, life took us on different courses. We’ve each changed zip codes a half a dozen times in the past 20 years… However, recently, as I sat across the table from her at lunch, we delighted in having both relocated to the same zip code- 1240 miles from where we initially met. I could see God giving me a gentle reminder to refocus my efforts on developing Christlike characteristics. It was as if He was telling me- “I brought her back to you- learn from her.”
-JC
Fluffernutter Sandwich Cookies
1cup soft butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 XL eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add an additional 2 Tablespoons flour for high elevation.
Scoop out 36 1.5” balls of dough. Flatten slightly.
Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum baking sheet.
Bake half (18) of the cookie dough at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool.
Bake remaining half (18) of the cookie dough at 350 degrees for 10min. Remove from oven and immediately place ¼ of a giant campfire roaster marshmallow (I slice each marshmallow into 4 discs). Return to oven for 2 minutes.
Place a dollop of marshmallow cream onto puffed up mallow while cookies are warm and place a top onto each cookie, creating a sandwich.
Let set! Share!
-JC
Mrs. Wing’s Super Powers
By the time my oldest son was in third grade, he had attended three elementary schools. For the foreseeable future, our family would be less transient and I think we all felt like we could relax a bit and settle in. The newly built elementary school just down the street from our home was testing a new program called “looping”. Students would have the same teacher for two consecutive grades. There was NOTHING bad about this plan if your child was assigned to Mrs. Wing. Some say she was a great teacher. In my home, she was spoken of as one with super-powers. I would often hear of her kindness, humor and general grandeur in the eyes of Brennen.
Therefore, the following year, when Bryson was assigned to loop with Mrs. Wing, the news seemed to come to him with a host of angels singing along. He was excited and counted down the summer days until it was his turn to go to Mrs. Wing’s classroom and begin to understand for himself the hero and the legend.
Bry began third grade as an authentic soul. He always wore jerseys; mostly NBA, sometimes NFL…always from the clearance rack. He had an unfathomably vast amount of player statistics memorized. So if a professional athlete’s jersey was sold, Bry knew his significance and contribution through numbers. As we watched games on TV, he would keep running totals of all stats for all significant players in his head and be able to discuss them at will. It was perhaps odd… possibly remarkable…. depending on your level of interest…
Each morning as he dressed for school, he picked out a jersey to wear. Whether it was clean or unclean was not of importance to him. His shorts always “matched”. And then he enhanced his look with an obscene amount of wristbands. His frame was stick-skinny. He placed wristbands on his ankles, biceps, and a few token ones on his wrists. He always completed his look with a headband, grabbed his basketball and jetted out the door for school. I often ran after him with his backpack and sack lunch that had mistakenly been left behind.
Emerging home from school I was given a complete and thorough accounting of recess…only recess…
I knew from his second-grade marks and the stack of “already read it-twice” Harry Potter books that he was reading above grade level. His math skills seemed to be ahead of par as well. However, paper after paper in his backpack had an empty line where he was supposed to write his name. Every time I inquired about it I received the same response… “I forgot…”
As parent-teacher conferences neared, I became nervous about attending. I wondered if (actually- anticipated that) I would be advised about how I should be parenting him differently for him to conform to the simple classroom etiquette of identifying his work with his name printed clearly at the top of each paper. As I nervously sat in the conference I listened patiently as Mrs. Wing reviewed with me his test scores – all well above average. I listened to her delight in his daily self-selected clothing and “accessories”. The conference neared the close and I braced myself hard for the “However….”
And then she neatly stacked his file in the “conference complete” pile and turned in her chair to get up and walk us out. I couldn’t handle the pressure in my head and I began to blurt…”What about him forgetting to bring his homework back to school?… What about him never writing his name on the top of his paper?…”
She looked at me noting my obvious concern. She paused and calmed me with her eyes. “That isn’t as important as you think. He will figure it out. He’s a very intelligent, happy kid. You’re doing a great job as parents, but don’t worry about it.”
I’m not sure if I doubted her assessment aloud or if I just screamed such in my head. Gratefully, I worked harder to heed her advice. The last thing I wanted to do was squelch my son’s confidence or brilliance by too much focus on what Mrs. Wing articulated as unimportant. After all, she had superpowers…
I look back on Bry’s development and I am extremely grateful for those two years of looping with Mrs. Wing, a master educator with super powers I now understood even as an adult… The opportunity enabled Bry to develop a base of confidence and provided a parameter of perspective for me as a parent.
Expecting my children to “fit-in” became a thought of the past. I realized that if they choose to follow and live the gospel of Jesus Christ, they would always be different than the moral and social expectations that surrounded them. Teaching them to embrace the idea of being authentic and finding confidence and peace in doing so became a primary goal in my parenting. Therefore, each of Bry’s subsequent birthdays included a pack of wristbands… a favorite gift of his… and a reminder for me.
-JC
Gingerdoodles
Make a batch of Gingersnaps:
½ cup oil
½ cup soft butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Cream oil, butter, sugars, and molasses with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 40 -1 1/4” balls of dough.
Make a batch of Snickerdoodles:
1 cup soft butter
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Cream butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 40 -1 1/4” balls of dough.
Mix together Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
Place one of each, Gingersnap and Snickerdoodle, cookie dough ball on top of the other.
Next, break the dough disc in half and stack. You now have four layers of dough in alternating flavors.
Break in half and stack again. Now, roll into a ball. You will see the marble effect.
Gently Roll dough balls into Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture.
For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 min. Share!
-JC
Cookies and Christ 