Christmas memories

Can you believe it? I already baked some Christmas cookies for the Bake sale we had last weekend for our Missions Committee at church! We raised $292 with baked goods from the whole congregation -- to give to the local MS Support Group in Grand Island. One of the members of our church found out this fall she has MS and it seemed like the thing to do... and for offering support!

The project turned out to be a MIRACLE too! At first we had only the names of two of us and it slowly added names each week -- We had only about eleven names on the list on the clipboard at church so I wondered if a few people would forget? Alas, folks must have been reading the articles in the newsletter as baked things started to appear from 9 am on as if we were doing the "feeding of the five thousand."

Then we decided to run the bake sale Sunday afternon before and after the Christmas Cantata as we had way plenty left after three services! After this event there were only a few things were left to take to HOPE HARBOR and we would have a check of $292 to go the MS Support group now with love from TUMC.

As an added plus -- The cutout cookies took me back in time to the days as a child when we used to make cutout cookies (with mom's help) and then pack them into a SHOEBOX with tissue paper for the long ride to MN to Christmas with my mom's family after Christmay Day usually!

I remember the fun of eating those cookies on the way (a few) and then sharing what cookies were left with the other homemade goodies, giving gifts, hearing the Christmas Story, always singing and music, spying on the relatives through the heat grates in the farm house floor upstairs .... and even eating Lutefisk one year with them in Fargo, ND when we lived there and they all came to see us!

Now I still make cut out cookies when I can at Christmas -- and remember those days .. those trips to MN and sometimes Bismarck ND for my dad's family too. And now I have to get frosting the rest of them for this week and getting together at the Grain place farm nearby with Jay's family and our family sharing together.

What I didn't tell you is that I nearly panicked when I mixed the ingredients and they would not form a ball this year to roll out with cookie cutters.. then I calmed down and analyzed the dry dough and figured out that I had used two small eggs and the recipe said two LARGE eggs -- and somewhat reluctantly I first added ONE beaten egg and then another till it seemed like the dough i remembered as a child. And yes it worked .... thank goodness!

When Jay got home he said I could have just used a little water but alas that will be a last ditch effort -- for another year of mixing up the cookie dough!

Now it is time to frost the rest for this week! I hope you can think of a few of your memories and I will see if I have any more to share in the next week or next year!

Merry Christmas as I am ready for a Christmas cookie with sprinkles! Love the sprinkles too! And I am glad we took time to do the Bake Sale for others too!