JOBS I’VE HAD

I was not close to my dad while growing up. I respected him immensely. He worked for Townsend Company for forty-eight years. I knew that I had a good dad and that he loved me because my mom told me so regularly. 🙂

Although I was very interested in sports and played basketball, baseball and football with my neighbor friends – and later intramural sports at college – my father did not offer any encouragement in this area.

He did, however, invest in teaching me a strong work-ethic.

At the age of eleven, he took me for two Saturdays to Dr. Chadwick’s home [Patterson Heights, Beaver Falls] directly across from the Beaver County Country Club. He taught me to use their mower and to trim their trees and mulch their gardens. I believe he had done this with my brother, Ira, too. Dad had done around-the-house jobs for Dr. Chadwick for many years – perhaps as a way of paying off medical bills.

Those two Saturdays, he taught me principles and skills that I would need to take care of the Chadwick’s home, such as:

>  Don’t work real hard for a while and then sit down to rest! Work steady! If Mrs. Chadwick looks out the window, you always want her to see you working!

>  Never sit down to work! If there is low mulching or planting to do, do it on your knees! You don’t want Mrs. Chadwick to look out and see you sitting down on the job!

>  Do your work in a way that you can walk away proud that you did your best! Make the Chadwick’s happy that they have you as their lawn-boy!

I worked at the Chadwick’s until I left home for college. I made $1.00/hour.

Every Saturday, I rode my bike down the hill from Brighton Heights and across the New Brighton/Beaver Falls bridge, then around and under the bridge to push my bike up a road that no longer exists. It brought me out right near the Country Club – my dad called it “StoryBook Hill’.

Sometimes, on my way home, I would bike over to Waites’ Restaurant and get a hot-fudge Sundae – with my own money - before going down Ross Hill and then back to Brighton Heights!  ☺  I felt pretty big while sitting at the counter and buying and eating my treat!

Eventually others heard about my work and asked me to do their lawns. I even worked for our high school superintendent, Zachary Taylor, although I never let ANYONE know that I was doing his lawn! After I turned sixteen and was driving, I was doing six lawns in New Brighton, Beaver Falls, and Beaver!

It was good training and experience for me. I have no regrets – although I look back with some longing to have been involved in high school sports. My brother-in-law, Lib [my oldest sister, Jeannette’s husband] often worked with me and encouraged me to get into sports, but without a father to open those doors – it just never happened. Lib always felt that I had an arm that would’ve made me a successful pitcher in baseball!  We’ll never know…

With this work ethic entrenched in my young life, I began my working career. The following is a list of the many, diverse jobs that I held over the years and to the present! 

• Lawn care – when I left New Brighton, I was caring for five lawns in Beaver Falls, Beaver, and New Brighton.  It kept me pretty busy.  I also usually spent my own money.

• For a year, I cleaned the elementary school on Marion Hill.  My Dad used his influence with his childhood friend, Mel Miller, who was the Superintendent of New Brighton schools, to get me this job.

• For several summers and Christmases, I worked for Twitchell’s roofing and heating company in Willow Grove, PA as a helper. 

• I cleaned toilets and hallways in Carpenter Hall when I got to Roberts Wesleyan College, North Chili, NY.

• During the summer of 1970, I travelled with ‘The Reflections’ representing Roberts Wesleyan College at various camps, churches and youth events.

• I also worked at Chili Plastics – giving lunch breaks (from 2:30 – 4:30 AM).

• For two years I was the weekend night watchman at RWC.

• For two years, I worked at UPS on the evening loading/unloading shift in Rochester, NY.

• I was an Apprentice Pastor at Pearce Memorial Church for the summer of 1973, after my graduation from RWC.

• For a year I worked as a Bellman at a Hospitality Inn near Lexington.

• I worked at UPS in Lexington, KY for a year while I attended Asbury Theological Seminary.

• For a year I worked as a part-time Corrections Officer at the Blackburn Correctional Facility in Lexington.

• For at least six months I worked at a Phillips 66 gas station in Lexington.

• Newspaper delivery in Nicholasville, KY for a year.

• Along with George Gates, we (along with our wives) daily took turns cleaning the offices of Suburban Gas in Nicholasville, KY.

• Appointment #1 – I served as Student/Pastor to the Tunnel Hill Free Methodist Church in English, IN for a year and a half.  [Wabash Conference]

• Appointment #2 – Jeannette, PA FMC  (1976-1978)  [Pittsburgh Conference]

• Appointment #3 – McClellandtown, PA FMC  (1978-1982)  [Pittsburgh Conference]

• Appointment #4 – Oakland FMC, East Liverpool, OH  (1982-1995)  [Pittsburgh Conference]

• Internship at Highland Drive Veteran’s Psychiatric Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA  (1987)  [As a result of this role, I earned a Basic Unit of Clinical Pastoral Education.]

• Internship at Family Services Family Counseling Service, Steubenville, OH  (1990)

• Worked as a 'Counselor Trainee' for two years at Family Service, Steubenville, OH

• Internship at Woodside Psychiatric Hospital, Youngstown, OH  (1991)

• Appointment #5 – Spencerville, MD FMC  (1995-1997)  [Maryland/Virginia Conference]

• Shelter Care, Inc. – Ran a licensed home for behaviorally challenged children in Summit County.  Akron, OH (1997-2003)  [Served with Debbie]

• Appointment #6 – Cornerstone FMC (Akron, OH)  Lead Associate  (1997-2003)  [Ohio Conference]

• Appointment #7 – Free Methodist Community Church, New Middletown, OH  (2003- 2012)  [Ohio Conference]

• Oral English Professor, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, PRC  (2012-2015)

• Appointment #8 – Kittanning, PA FMC  [Part-time, Commuting Pastor]  (2015-2017)  [Pittsburgh Conference]

• Retired, June, 2017. 

• Lyft Driver – about 20 hours/week. 5 years

• Part-time, commuting Interim Pastor at The Foundery FMC in Wellsburg, WV from February through September, 1994.

I have nothing but gratitude to God for this work history. I made a lot of friends in each situation and was able to pay for three years of my college education! [My mom and dad paid the equivalent of one year – which they had promised to do when I enrolled.]  I’ve been strong and healthy throughout the years and have tons of stories and very few regrets when it comes to the way I’ve lived my life.

GOD’S SENSE OF SMELL

In marking up the Bible for my granddaughter, Rylie, I began the book of Leviticus this morning. I warned her that it's one of the most boring books of the Bible - BUT, GOD INCLUDED IT IN HIS HOLY WORD FOR A REASON! Therefore, keep your eyes and spiritual ears open to see and hear what God might want you to notice!

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I've mentioned elsewhere that for the two years I studied at Franciscan University of Steubenville, I worshipped frequently in this charismatic, Catholic environment. It was a phenomenal experience for me as I experienced a radically different form of worship.

If I've had a bias throughout my ministry, it has been my desire and attempts to make worship real and relevant to the people whom I have served. I guess there is a creative streak in me that yearns to do things differently and break through barriers of boredom and/or irrelevance. I have always felt that the worship of our AWESOME, INCREDIBLE, OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, OMNI-PRESENT, CREATIVE GOD should NEVER be boring!

Consequently, through the years, I have changed the location of worship, the order for worship, the leadership of worship, and the approach to worship frequently! It was never done to irritate people who have an appreciation for predictability or routine [although I’m sad to say that it did have that effect on some].

My desire was pure and persistent. Let’s not worship in mediocrity! Let’s innovate! Let’s be imaginative! Let’s celebrate the creativity of the One who made 73,330 species of trees, 11,500 kinds of birds on earth, and who makes people of different colors, places, sizes, and who speak 7,164 different languages!

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Let me hone in on this today.

I opened by mentioning that I just read the first three chapters of Leviticus. In doing so, I underlined some words that were repeated seven times in three chapters. The words were:

A pleasing fragrance to GOD

If you’re not familiar with Leviticus, these chapters give specific instructions for how to offer Whole Burnt Offerings, Grain Offerings, and Peace Offerings.

Whole Burnt Offerings involved the sacrifice of either a bull, a sheep or goat, or a dove or pigeon [the latter was obviously God’s way of including the poor].

Grain Offerings included flour, oil and incense mixed and placed on the altar [think of the aroma of bread baking]!

Peace Offerings could be a male or female animal from the herd, but it must be without defect. Or, it could be male or female from the flock – without defect. Or, it could be a goat. These offerings were ultimately burned on the altar.

And in every one of these cases it is reported that it was A PLEASING FRAGRANCE TO GOD!

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Hmmmmm…

God – like many of us – seems to enjoy the smell of meat being cooked! 😊

Earlier, I mentioned the experience I had worshipping with my charismatic, Catholic friends. Catholic worship includes a censor with incense at times throughout worship! It is obvious to worshippers as this aroma finds its way through the sanctuary.

This evokes a question: Why do we ignore the sense of smell that God has blessed us with when it comes to our worship?

We all know how POWERFUL our sense of smell can be.

Every summer when my family went to Family Camp, I was abundantly aware of the smell of our cabin when my father opened the door! That aroma swept me back to previous years and experiences that were highly pleasurable! It evoked feelings and memories that were very pleasant!

If aroma has this kind of power – why don’t we use this sense in our worship of God?

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From February through September of 2024, I was drafted to lead The Foundery Free Methodist Church in Wellsburg, WV. On Easter Sunday, I spoke on one of my favorite passages and described how Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – two Pharisees - took down the body of Jesus from the cross, carried it to a new grave that Joseph had carved out for himself, embalmed the body of Jesus WITH 100 POUNDS OF MYRRH AND ALOES.

To drive this point home, in closing I offered each worshipper an incense stick to take home and burn. As I stepped down to make these available, I was inundated with people coming from every direction. I quickly recruited helpers to pass out these simple, inexpensive gifts! The desire to smell the frangrance that surely led Mary and the other women to Jesus’ tomb on Resurrection Morning while it was still dark struck a chord with the hearts of our worshippers!

I burned my stick that afternoon in my study while worshipping God and marveling at His grace! I sensed His presence with me and believe I heard Him say that it was indeed, A PLEASING FRAGRANCE!

THE MEANING OF THE CROWN OF THORNS

I was reading in Exodus 28 this morning and connected some dots that added meaning to my appreciation for all that Jesus has done for me!

Here’s the passage about Aaron and his sons being consecrated as priests over Israel:  [All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted]

^36-38 “Make a plate of pure gold. Engrave on it as on a seal: ‘Holy to God.’ Tie it with a blue cord to the front of the turban. It is to rest there on Aaron’s forehead. He’ll take on any guilt involved in the sacred offerings that the Israelites dedicate, no matter what they bring. It will always be on Aaron’s forehead so that the offerings will be acceptable before God.

Walk with me as I unpack this a bit.  [If I’m misguided in any of this, I have some scholarly friends who will gently correct me on Facebook. 😌]

If Aaron takes on the sin of the people, what happens to it?

Well, in the next chapter, we read:

^29:15-18 “Then take one of the rams. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the head of the ram. Slaughter the ram and take its blood and throw it against the Altar, all around. Cut the ram into pieces; wash its innards and legs, then gather the pieces and its head and burn the whole ram on the Altar. It is a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God, a pleasant fragrance, an offering by fire to God.

For at least a period of time, Aaron was the sin-bearer for all the people of Israel. Through this ordination process being described in chapter 29, Aaron and his sons were consecrated as mediators between the people and God!  The process is clarified as the chapter ends:

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer on the Altar: two year-old lambs each and every day, one lamb in the morning and the second lamb at evening. ..

^42-46 “This is to be your regular, daily Whole-Burnt-Offering before God, generation after generation, sacrificed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. That’s where I’ll meet you; that’s where I’ll speak with you; that’s where I’ll meet the Israelites, at the place made holy by my Glory. I’ll make the Tent of Meeting and the Altar holy. I’ll make Aaron and his sons holy in order to serve me as priests. I’ll move in and live with the Israelites. I’ll be their God. They’ll realize that I am their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live with them. I am God, your God.”

Are you still with me?  There’s good stuff ahead! 😉

Let’s review:

God had established a chosen people who would be His representatives to the whole world!  We’re now reading how God set things up to keep them holy – as He is HOLY!  This process was a daily process of being cleansed and forgiven of sin through the sacrificial system!

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LEAP AHEAD WITH ME!

·         ^{Matthew 27:27-29} The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red robe. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head.

·         ^{Mark 15:17}  The soldiers took Jesus into the palace (called Praetorium) and called together the entire brigade. They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thornbush on his head. 

·         ^{John 19:2}  The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head,

This is not new to us!  We read it repeatedly every Lenten and Easter season!

But consider the link back to Aaron and his consecration as a priest.

“Make a plate of pure gold. Engrave on it as on a seal: ‘Holy to God.’ Tie it with a blue cord to the front of the turban. It is to rest there [like a crown] on Aaron’s forehead. He’ll take on any guilt involved in the sacred offerings that the Israelites dedicate, no matter what they bring. It will always be on Aaron’s forehead so that the offerings will be acceptable before God. 

Aaron took on any guilt of the Israelites so that they could be acceptable to GOD!

1,400 years later, the sacrificial Lamb – so designated by GOD – would HIMSELF become the One to wear the CROWN OF THORNS; thereby taking on the guilt and sin of all humanity throughout all time

so that we can be acceptable to GOD!

 

Hallelujah!

Thank You, Jesus!

YOU CAN'T GET TO HEAVEN ON SOMEONE ELSE'S APRON-STRINGS

My brother-in-law, Dick, is now a widower [since June of this year]. He and my sister, Beverly, were married over 57 years! He fit into our family wonderfully - fully accepted. Bev got him to attend church with her and he saw her dedication to God on a daily basis through all of those years. 

Dick is Italian! Early on in their relationship, God arranged for the Pearce Memorial Free Methodist Church to have an Italian pastor - Dr. V. J. Mannoia. Dick loved this pastor and they had many jokes that they shared. This moved Dick even closer to his own experience of God in his life. It was probably around that time that Dick would occasionally lead our family in prayer. He would weep as he prayed and his voice would get very high with emotion!

But, his life still had all of the color that it had exhibited before. My parents loved Dick and he loved them! We became a family to Dick and enfolded him completely! He especially loved my mom - in spite of the fact that she insisted on overcooking meat [a travesty to Dick who was a meat-cutter for seventeen years]. 😂

Over the years, Dick ran hot and cold as far as attending church was concerned. His son, Scott, has been a Christian leader since his teens when he began working with youth! Scott is still a committed layman who has the passion of a pastor! His investment in Christian ministry is exceptional! He's also been a massive Christian influence on his dad!

But Dick's faith always seemed to be dependent on Beverly. She was the spiritual leader of their home! His connection to God was tied directly to hers.

UNTIL JUNE!

After caring lovingly for Bev for over three years while her condition with dementia deteriorated gradually but distinctly, Dick was alone!

Like so many others who have faced this reality, he struggles. He weeps a lot! He banters around the house doing his chores and passing time. When I call, he cries. He maintains that he's getting along okay. He repeatedly says that he's making it "one day at a time". 

Debbie and I have been purposeful about going up twice since the memorial service. He seems to enjoy our visits and talks endlessly about his life. But this most recent visit was different.

He talked about the fact that his faith was anchored by Beverly. He recognized that he needed to have a personal relationship with God. So, he began sitting down at the breakfast table in their kitchen and reading his Bible. He tries to read a couple of chapters a day. 

He told us: "Harold, sometimes I don't even know what I read. I don't understand it at all."

[It's apparent to me that he began reading in Genesis which can be overwhelming for anyone.]

But, he has stuck with it! He says that when he finishes reading for the day, he sits there and talks to God. He tells God that he doesn't understand much of what he read. But, he observes that the people he read about seem to have a lot of problems! So, Dick turns his lonliness and other problems over to God on a daily basis! 

I interrupted him at this point by observing that a door to his garage - visible from his table - has a picture of Donald Trump on it. He laughed and said, "Yeah, Harold, I look at the picture and ask the Lord to help him with whatever he's doing today." We laughed together. But, isn't it remarkable that our president is being blessed every day by an 89-year-old, widower in Rochester, New York? It doesn't get any better than that!

Dick is managing! He is making the best of a heartbreaking situation! In spite of his loneliness, he is growing in his relationship with the Lord! He's praying for wisdom and direction about his home and his finances. He recognizes that he's blessed to have great neighbors who - for years - have helped him with his lawn, snow-removal, and leaf-gathering! They are good to Dick and genuinely care for him! He's thankful for lifelong friends who call him regularly to check up on him! He looks back on a life that was filled with abundance and plentiful pleasures! He has two precious kids in Scott and Heather, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren who love and cherish him! He has no regrets!

Bev's death was tragic, but also a relief. He misses her dearly - as do many of us [she was my last sibling to go to Heaven]!  But, to an extent, Dick exhausted himself caring for her 24/7. He's finally getting a chance to rest up and relax. He's even making plans for his future! He still has dreams and desires that he'd like to act on. 

I share his story with you today as an encouragement! You can't get to Heaven because your parents were Christians! You can't get there because you go to church or are a member. You can't get there because you have been generous and treated people well all of your life. You won't arrive in Heaven because you lived a good life!

No! Sorry! These things don't really qualify you for entrance into Heaven - even though the world will tell you that they do...

You will be accepted into Heaven because you've developed a personal relationship with God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit! This relationship will gradually but certainly transform you into a person who genuinely and supremely loves God. God will use you to influence other people who know and relate to you! Your example may be the cause of family, neighbors, friends [even people in line with you at Walmart] to seek a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God as well! 

YOU MAY VERY WELL BE THE INSTRUMENT THAT GOD USES TO GET SOMEONE IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENC INTO HEAVEN AS WELL!  

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY MANNA

2025 AD:

·         “There’s nothing here to eat!”

·         “I don’t like asparagus!”

·         “Why can’t we keep fresh bags of chips in this house?”

·         “I could go for a package of Double-Stuffed Oreos!”

1400 BC:

·         “Weren’t the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Back in Egypt didn’t we tell you this would happen? Didn’t we tell you, ‘Leave us alone here in Egypt – we’re better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.’”  [Ex.14:11-12]   [All quotes are from The Message Bible, unless otherwise noted.]

·         The water of Marah is bitter, “So what are we supposed to drink?”  [Ex. 15:24] 

·         “Why didn’t God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat?” [Ex.16:3]

Discontentment is always present! It seems to be part of the human condition to never be content with what we have, but to always want more or better.

Oh! If we could only master what the Apostle Paul refers to in Philippians 4:11-12,

I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

If you’ve read the early books of the Old Testament, then you know that the Israelites Moses was leading out of Egypt - across the wilderness and into the Promised Land - WERE CHRONIC COMPLAINERS!

At the least inconvenience, they complained against Moses and God! They quickly forgot the blessings that God had given them:

ü  escape from slavery and mistreatment

ü  being given great wealth by the Egyptians as they left the land of Egypt

ü  the promise that a new land would be theirs and they would inherit houses that they hadn’t built and crops that they hadn’t planted.

ü  the victory that God gave them over Amalek

ü  when God sweetened the water of Marah

Those of us who have read this part of Israel’s history tend to shake our heads as we read of the repetitive grumbling of this half-a-million people trying to find their way through a wilderness land. We wonder how they could be so obstinate! Why were they so quick to abandon ship and turn against their more-than-competent leadership! We ‘tsk, tsk’ as we read with condescension at this pathetic horde of people.

AND YET…

Aren’t we just the same?

Don’t we get upset with God when things don’t go the way we think they should?

Don’t we complain when our prayers aren’t answered; or aren’t answered in the way we desired?

Don’t we run hot-n-cold in our faith while expecting God to excuse our behavior and bless us anyway?

Do we really hold the moral high ground?

Are we doing the best that we can do?

Do we humbly submit our plans to God and then wait for His response, direction or approval?

By virtue of writing this blog, I indicate that I fall short. I complain and get upset with the way things turn out. I don’t always submit to His sovereignty. I complain. I can be a grouch – in spite of acknowledging how much God has done for me.

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God gave the children of Israel daily manna. It appeared in the early morning as the frost began to lift. The people were to gather two quarts for each member of their family. They were told not to gather more than they needed for any given day. But, of course, some gathered a lot of extra! Hoarders, I suppose! The next morning, the extra they had gathered was wormy and had become putrid!  LESSON LEARNED THE HARD WAY!

Only on Friday were they instructed to gather twice as much! This would prevent them from having to work on the Sabbath so that they could focus on worshipping God and guess what – it didn’t spoil or get wormy on the Sabbath!!  Others went out on the Sabbath to gather their manna for the day. But no manna fell on the Sabbath! You only went hungry once and then discovered the value of listening to and obeying God’s Word!

When the Israelites became weary with the manna, they complained to Moses. God overheard their complaints and promised them meat. That evening flocks of quail flew in and landed in the camp. The people killed and ate quail until they were nearly sick!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Now let’s consider ourselves.

We live in what is described as the wealthiest nation the world has ever known. We are the envy of the entire world! When the Biden administration opened the doors to our nation and welcomed people to come, they came by the millions – flooding into our nation with the hopes of inheriting the wealth that causes SO MANY to envy us!

Yet, we never apply the scriptures that talk about the wealthy to ourselves. We reserve those passages for the exorbitant wealthy! But to the world – WE ARE THE EXORBITANT WEALTHY! Yet we register depression higher than any other nation. We consume more anti-depressants than any other nation. We observe an ever-growing rise in violence and crime especially in our cities. Our government – which is recognized as one of the best systems ever developed – is nearly deadlocked in divergent views of solving our national and political problems! Hatred for various groups is openly expressed as part of our high priority for ‘free speech’. And – except for some sign of recovery since the death of Charlie Kirk – the Church is shrinking and losing its impact on a culture that is decomposing.

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Is our situation really any different than the Israelites?  Although we feel that we deserve the global status that we hold, do we really? Have we earned it? Are we better than the people of other nations based purely on the fact that we were born in America? SURELY NOT! We hold our current position as a blessing, yet we only designate one day a year to giving Him thanks for these many blessings.

Kind and gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Convict us that with greater wealth comes greater responsibility.

Of those of us who follow You, help us to recognize that although You are the king of the universe, You came to serve! Awaken us to the difference we could make if we lived less focused on adding to our own wealth and more focused on helping those – near and far – who have needs that we could easily meet.

Give us a love for the poor, destitute, struggling! Open our hearts to their pain and sorrow! Catalyze us to give what we’re capable of while denying ourselves. May our compassion set us apart from the heartless and uncaring. May our generosity cause people to praise and serve You! And enable us to maintain humility as we give!

May we sleep better, live with greater joy and experience the satisfaction of knowing that others are thriving because we cared enough to come alongside them in their hour of need!

For Your Kingdom’s sake – Amen!

BANANA NUT BREAD

I love banana nut bread!

I've been noticing five black bananas on the bottom shelf of our refrigerator. I know Deb has a big day today. We're having our own small Thanksgiving Dinner this afternoon. She'll be baking apple pies to take to Troy and Missy's tomorrow for a bigger version of a family Thanksgiving. I made my mom's cranberry jello yesterday. I'll be making ham rolls today!

Recently, on a visit to see my brother-in-law, Dick, I asked to go through Beverly's recipe box. I was hunting for a recipe for the Mac&Cheese Cassarole that my mom used to make. I was DELIGHTED when I found a letter from my mom to Bev explaining how she used to make it! While shuffling through the recipes, I also found my mom's recipe for banana nut bread.

So, upon arising this morning, I began the process. I'm definitely NOT the baker in our family! But I followed mom's directions to the 'T' and put three loaves in the oven. It took me well over an hour to prepare and suggested a baking time of one hour [but she noted to check it in 45 minutes].

Now it's time for a little sidebar:

Debbie is an amazing baker! Her pies are literally ‘Blue Ribbon Award Winning’ – according to the Canfield Fair! 😚 

At this time of year she – like so many of you – makes cookies. Her pecan tassies, peanut-butter-cup, lady-fingers and Snicker-doodles are such a treat! And, of course, throughout the year she frequently makes batches of chocolate-chip cookies [using her Grandma Whippo’s recipe]; they are the best anywhere! 

Pretty much anything sweet that comes out of her oven is worth waiting for!

Except her banana nut bread! 

I’ve told her through the years that it hasn’t been baked long enough. You can’t spread butter on it because it crumbles all up! It’s good tasting but frustrating to eat!

Now, on top of all this, is the realization I’ve come to that my mom severely overcooked her meat! She was a great cook, but her hamburgers were crispy!  When my brother-in-law, Dick, became part of our family, he teased her constantly! He had been a butcher for Tobin Meats [in Rochester, NY] for seventeen years – and Dick knew meat! He tried to convince her – but it was too late for her to change.

Interesting note: Just a few weeks ago, Debbie accidentally over-baked her banana nut bread. She was upset, until we sliced and ate it. She commented that she accidentally got it to come out “just like your mom’s”!  We had a good laugh about that!

So, early this morning found me mashing bananas and adding mom’s ingredients to a large bowl. When I saw this huge bowl of over-ripe bananas, flour, eggs, sugar, and other sticky goodies, I decided the best way to mix it was to wash my hands and do it by hand. For fifteen minutes I squeezed and mixed and squeezed some more – until it looked right to me. Then I poured it into three bread-pans and placed it into the 350 degree oven! 

Having set my timer for 45 minutes – I retired to my study to work on Rylie’s Bible!

When the timer went off, I went to the kitchen to check the nut-bread. It looked amazing! But I just wasn’t sure? I have a baking specialist in the house, so I cracked the bedroom door to find Deb just getting up. I asked her to check it for me.

Oh my! The house smelled SO GOOD!  She noticed right away and started firing questions at me. She seemed pleased that I did this to make her day easier! Using a toothpick, she told me to give it ten more minutes – even though the edges were getting brown.

I did, however, take the small loaf out to cool on the racks.

Ten minutes later, I pulled them out and set them aside to cool! They turned out beautiful – and delicious!

Deb has already stated that I am now the official banana-nut-bread maker in the Haire household! I guess that’s a compliment?

Another sidebar:

Sundays were a big day in my growing-up home! We had a set schedule that included Sunday School, Morning Worship – and then later in the day Youth Group and the Evening Worship Service.

We always had a huge Sunday dinner upon returning from church. My mom had the gift of hospitality, so she often invited people to come to our house for dinner!

Her spiritual history was heavily influenced by the Scottish Reformed Church [Think: Eric Liddell and the movie: “Chariots of Fire”].

Being a strict Sabbatarian, she did as much of her meal preparation on Saturday evening as was possible. I recall EVERY SATURDAY EVENING seeing a pot of peeled and cut potatoes covered in water and sitting in the sink!

Our house was always busy on Sunday mornings as four had to use one bathroom, so breakfast had to be simple and involve no work! Consequently, every Sunday morning my mom would set a fresh loaf of banana nut bread on the kitchen table along with a soft stick of butter and a stack of small plates [often paper]. It was her version of a do-it-yourself breakfast – and we all loved it!

So, I guess you could say that banana nut bread had a significant place in my upbringing. To have made it this morning using one of my mom’s original pans and also her recipe has made my morning kind of SPECIAL!

She shaped my life more than any other person! So many things I do today are because of her teaching or example! Her modeling of:

·        a dedicated prayer life

·        a love for missionary work

·        meticulous planning

·        a love for the Bible

·        a commitment to the church

·        a high priority for her family

·        a systematic approach to any job

formed me powerfully to be the man I am today!

It’s been forty-four years ago that she went to Heaven! I occasionally feel badly because I don’t consciously think of her every day anymore. But when I do, I am fully aware that – outside of Debbie – no one has impacted me more than she did! 

I love you, Mom. I wish you were here to have a slice of my banana nut bread with me! 

A PRE-CHRISTMAS DATE: Young Love compared to Seasoned Love

Deb and I are fresh back from doing some Christmas shopping and having a nice lunch together at Longhorn Steakhouse! We dressed up and made it into a special time.

But before I can tell you more, I must provide some background information.

Through the years, I’ve struggled with the purchasing of appropriate Christmas gifts for Debbie. There was a season when I bought her appliances and kitchen gizmos. I’ve been wise enough to almost always include some jewelry among her gifts. Some years they were dangled for weeks ahead on the Christmas tree, only to be discovered on Christmas Day after she opened a special, romantic card.

 

I also shopped for her buying her clothing for a few years. I walked through classy department stores and bought her sweaters or tops that I really liked. I remember one that I purchased at Penney’s in the Northern Lights Shopping Plaza in Baden many years ago! It was pure white, with a fair amount of embroidery, with short sleeves and a slight V-neck. I thought it was glamorous! I spent far more money on it than I should have. - - - - - I never saw it after Christmas Day! 😶

 

Somewhere along the way, I realized that I was severely missing the mark!

 

I’m a reasonably intelligent guy and thought to myself: Harold, think this through! There’s got to be a way for you to buy gifts for Deb that will thrill and please her.

 

That’s when I hatched my plan!

 

In early November [while stores are still well supplied with merchandise and sale prices are beginning to become available] I set a date with Deb during the daytime. I took her to the mall and just sauntered through with her. I made sure that we walked through Penney’s and Macy’s Department Stores as well as pausing at a few jewelry stores. Then, it was essential to walk through Yankee Candle and Bath-and Body! Because Victoria’s Secret was right next to Yankee Candle, I always paused to see if she showed any interest in shopping there [Hey! What can I say? I’m only human! 😏]

 

When she would stop and look at certain items, I made mental notes about where we were and which items she picked up. I was discreet and made no comments. I was only present as an observer!

 

Then, the very next day I retraced our steps and purchased many of the items that she had examined. Later, I – very poorly – wrapped these items and placed them under the tree. In most cases, Christmas was still six weeks away, so I don’t believe she ever put two-and-two together. I had solved the problem! From that point on, she was almost always delighted with the gifts that I presented to her. 🙂

 

For whatever reason, a few years ago she seemed reluctant to go shopping with me so early. As a result, I divulged my secret and told her what I had been doing. She thought it was really great and declared that she had not caught on to my plan.

So – today was the day! After her Physical Therapy session, we dressed nicely, hopped into the car and headed for Boardman. First, we walked through Kohl’s. Then, we migrated to T. J. Maxx. She used her card at Kohl’s to get an extra 30% off [I’ll pay that bill for her – of course]! By the time we’d walked through these two stores she was pretty tired and my leg had gone numb. Being a veteran of shopping with my wife, I took my chair-cane with me. I always get a lot of looks when I set it up and sit down to rest for a few moments! ☺

That’s when we headed for the Steakhouse! It was probably 2:30 PM. We were seated immediately and had a relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable late lunch together. We gave thanks, enjoyed our appetizer, along with our salads, loaded-baked-potato and potato soup! We brought enough home to have for supper later this evening!  👍

We talked and enjoyed the beauty of this day as we drove to and from Boardman. After a fairly long period of several months affected by her hip pain, surgery and recovery  – it was a most enjoyable treat for us! 

I’ve already told her that I think we should do it again – next week! As for now, two bags of gifts are stashed in my study waiting for me – with my ‘all-thumbs approach’ to wrap them for her delight!   

If nothing else, I can testify to the fact that there is some truth to the old phrase: “Older and Wiser!”

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Maybe next week we’ll hit Victoria’s Secret?   -    [Hey! I’m old, but I’m not dead!  😁]