Family, Friends, and John Mary Cookies

Dear Readers,
 
The theme song of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is almost constantly in my head these last few days. It goes like this.

“Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of year…”

I’ll bet you couldn’t keep from singing it, could you? Dee, my wife, calls it an “ear worm”, a song that you constantly keep singing in your head.

If you’re like me you have songs, traditions, and memories that pop up at Christmas time and throughout the year.

Marlene, my sister, made me some John Mary Cookies for Christmas. She made them because she knew how much I like them. But there is much more than just the taste that draws me to them. There are memories attached. Memories of Mom rolling them out on a metal pan, baking them, cutting them into squares, and then placing them in a big container separated in layers by wax paper.

Usually all of us like fresh, warm baked cookies. But John Mary Cookies, on the other hand, get better with age. I’m not sure why, but biting into the gooey molasses and raisin laden cookies is more of a treat several weeks after baking than hot off the pan.

I’m thankful for “memory worms” if you can call them that. Mom and Dad are no longer with us, but with songs, traditions, and memories Mom, Dad, and many other family members and friends seem a little closer to us.

See you next time,
Arlen

Smells, Sights, and Sounds of Christmas

Dear Readers,

Do you remember the smells of Christmas…the pine scent of the freshly cut tree, the cinnamon scent of hot cider, the hot electric odor of race cars speeding repeatedly around a track, the aroma of John Mary cookies in the oven? (I’m sorry if you never got to experience the aroma of John Mary cookies!) These smells have the uncanny knack to stay with you for the rest of your life. Even now many companies dealing with air fresheners capitalize on the déjà vu odors we remember from childhood.

What about the sights of Christmas? I was always fascinated by the lights, especially the bubble lights, ornaments, and tinsel of the tree. I sometimes would lay face-up on the floor under the tree looking upward to see my own personal twinkling light display. Also, I feel almost giddy when I remember spying a certain red plastic fire truck with a large bow on top. (I sure wish I could find that truck!) I could go on and on about frosted pictures on windows, never-lit candle figurines, a live puppy jumping out of a box, and our annual family trek to see an amazing house light display near Wooster, Ohio!

And who can ever forget the “Boofo Goes Where Santa Goes”, or Rabbits Have a Christmas” songs? (Well, maybe you never heard these specific songs at your house, but I am sure you remember songs like that!) My wife in recent years satisfied my childhood memories by purchasing the original Boofo/Rabbits record, and a remake of Boofo with additional songs that add to the Boofo storyline. 

My personal all-time favorite Christmas album, however, was, and I think still is “Now is the Caroling Season” by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. I am convinced the “Angels We Have Heard on High” song about shepherds in a field hearing angels tell of Jesus birth played an integral role years later in my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior.

I think God gave us our senses and memories to bring us closer to Him. He understands our nature and wants us to have softness in our hearts to the beauty of things around us, which has the potential of creating softness in our hearts toward Him and His Son Jesus Christ.

See you next time,
Arlen