Cookie Matters - Glynis M. Belec

This might sound a tad cliché or even a little corny, but one of my favourite moments is when I am baking cookies with Trenton.

My sweet little grandson loves to help crack the eggs and mix the ingredients. When he is there to help out in the kitchen, cookie baking becomes a whole different experience. When I am alone mixing up the dough, I am focussed on the task and my goal is to get the cookies baked to perfection. But when Trenton is with me, I am much more focussed on our relationship than on perfect cookies.

We have fun picking out the eggshells and giggling at the mess on the counter. Snitching a taste of chocolate chips and then Grandma pretending to chastise, sends my little three year old grandson into the most contagious laughter imaginable. My heart melts faster than the chocolate chips, and I am not one bit worried about a perfect cookie.

Too many times I have worried and fussed about life matters that don't really matter. I have fallen into the trap of not fully comprehending the tyranny of the urgent. Society has dictated my day and before I know it, I was in the eye of the storm being tossed to and fro.

Over this past year as I have battled cancer, I have come to realize that perfect cookies are not the answer. It doesn't matter if my life contains a bit of eggshell. I will survive. What matters is that I spend time in relationships and realizing that God did not create me with a straight line for a mouth. I have muscles to make me smile and the ability to laugh that can perhaps lift hearts and definitely seal memories.

I don't suppose that Trenton will want to make cookies when he is 16, but I am sure hoping that he remembers the precious moments with Grandma in the kitchen. This Grandma sure won't be forgetting any time soon!

Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased. for Christ's love for you was like sweet perfume (or freshly baked cookies**) to him. Ephesians 5:2 TLB

**my interpretation!

(Here is Trenton's and my favourite cookie recipe!)

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of shortening
2 eggs ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. of vanilla 2 cups of flour
1 tsp. soda ½ tsp. salt
1 pkg. of chocolate chips 2 cups of oatmeal

Method: Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix all dry ingredients together in order except chocolate chips and oatmeal. Mix the dry ingredients with the creamed batter. Add the chocolate chips and the oatmeal. Roll in balls and flatten with a fork. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. I always slightly under bake these.