THE AMISH COOK ENJOYMARY’S STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
If life gives lemons, make lemonade. Howoften have I made that statement? Sometimes it’s through tears that I set my face towards the sun once more and keep on going. Other times there’s just spilled milk, a lack of sleep, or sick little ones that remind me that life isn’t about choosing what I want. Why, if life would be solely dependent on circumstances, lifewouldn’t be worth its ride. Certainly, if it wouldn’t be for theMender we would all be torn apart.
Fly with mended wings
I cherish the song, “You can fly with mended wings.” We all have mended wings, right? Ifwe’dneverheal from our difficulties and disappointments, we’d never get anywhere in life. Perhaps where I tend to get tested the most is holdingmy newborn, knowing that life will one day bring rough times and harsh disappointments in one way or another. Yes, I’m Mama, yet there is not a thing I can do to make life easy as pie for our little ones. My mind flips to my own dear mother.
Asmuch as she would’ve loved to fix all my troubles as a young girl when I was struggling with my health or the times I watched my beloved stillborn sisters being lowered into a grave, therewas noway she could just make everything okay. How I thank God for those times now. Yes, I’m so glad therewas noway she could make my life smooth sailing, why if she could have, my faithwouldn’t have been strengthened in the onlyOne who is now able to takeme through the trying timeswe face in an adultworld loaded with responsibilities amid all the turbulence in theworld.
Praying for crying
Eventwo-year-oldJessewill suggest thatwe all pray for a sibling who may be crying. If he wouldn’t know how it feels tobesad, wouldhehave a desire to pray for them? It deeply touches my mother heart each time I hear Austin volunteering to lead all of us in prayer for anyonewho maybehavingadifficulttime. Perhaps it really isworth all thebatchesof‘lemonade’that is made day by day!
Julia is growing up inmore ways than I could tell. It
seems school has a way of adding maturity. Yesterday I was helping her practicing her speed drills. If itweren’t for the times the timer beat her to the finish line, there would also not be the joy of winning the race in the end.
IfGod really loves usmore than I lovemy newborn, He reallymust have us covered more than I will ever grasp. I stand in awe. It is toomuch for my feeblemind to grasp.
COVID-19 in Gloria’s community?
Several of you have wondered if we’re staying healthy. Yes, we are blessed in spite of some COVID outbreaks in the neighborhood. No one got seriously ill. It was more like the common flu, and others only lost their sense of taste and smell for a couple of days. Naturally, over that time, there were extra quarantines and such. The verse in Psalm 29:25 comes tomy mind, “Whoso putteth His trust in the Lord shall be safe.” How simple!
I hear my little sunshine who just came in the door after spending time with Daddy. Yes, Rayni is a ray of sunshine, as I often call her. She has had many deep waters to wade in her four years. But then she has the most tenderheart. If another child gets hurt, she’s the first to show her compassion, then take theirhandandlead them toMama. Sometimes I askmyself if she will perhaps somedaywork with children who have been neglected or a traumatic beginning, no doubt she could identify with them in ways I never could. There truly is One whoheals broken hearts and lives. Rayni is chatting away here besidemewith a snack. With no idea what I’m writing about, she pointed to a motto on thewall with a picture of Jesus snuggling a little girl close to Him. “That’s Hosanna!” she exclaimed,
giggling with delight. (After she was placed in our home by the adoption agency, we were told that she goes by hersecondnameRayne, only they pronounce it Rayni. When we started working toward adoption, we chose Hosanna as her first name, which means, “Lord, save me; thank you for saving me.” We introduced it gradually; she has now come to love it and actually prefers being called Hosanna.)
I askedHosannawhat recipe I should put in the column she said, “Peach pie!” Well, I shared thatwith you recently, so maybewe’ll settle with StuffedFrenchToast. By the way, if you do make the peach custard pie, you can also add a beaten egg to the filling, which sometimes helps bring the texture to the tee. After my motherin-law read the recipe, she said her mother would also sprinkling cinnamon on top. Okay, here is Mary’s version of stuffed french toast we enjoyed during her stay!
THEAMISHCOOK’S STUFFEDFRENCH TOAST
21/2cupmaplesyrup 12 slicesbread 2cupsblueberries 8ounces creamcheese,
softened
6eggs
13/4cupmilk 1 teaspoonvanilla 1 teaspooncinnamon
Pourmaple syrup into a9 by 13 inch cakepan.
Next spreadcream cheese on6bread slices and lay in syrupy dish, sprinkle blueberries on top. Topwith remaining breadslices.
Nowbeat upthe eggs, milk, andvanilla and pouroverbread. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Coverand refrigerate overnight.
Uncover to bake at 350for 35-45 minutes or until egg mixture is set. Yummy!
Serves 10-12