From the Pulpit: A simple green tin box

It is just a simple green tin box. It really would not mean anything to anyone but my sister and me. Our mom died in May this year and when my sister and I talked about what things we wanted to be sure to get from our mom’s house that little green tin box was near the top of our list.

It does not look like much. As a matter of fact, it is a bit dirty in places. It is not the box itself but what it contains. It contains many childhood memories. Times spent together as a family working together.

When you flip the lid open, it reveals recipe cards. Some more worn than others and many with flour fingerprints. Some are mine, some are my sisters, many are my mom’s and these simple index card are more precious this year. 

There is the recipe for my mom’s fudge which she made for us but interestingly never ate herself because she was allergic to chocolate. Then there were sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, spritz cookies. All of different shapes and sizes. 

One of her favorites each year during this time was mincemeat cake. It was not very pretty to look at – all brown and no sprinkles. It was dense and moist but difficult to describe it’s taste. And don’t ask me what mincemeat is because even after “Googling” it I have no real idea. Just that it seems to come from Britain. 

I remember after everything was made, we packaged up cookie trays and took to our neighbors and all the “widow ladies” as my dad called them. They might not have anyone else bring them goodies so off we’d go. 

Another tradition was visiting the nursing home. My Girl Scout troop would go and take goodies of course being careful to check who got the low sugar cookies. Then we would sing Christmas carols. It was a small town and a time when we could still sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

I knew we were doing something important to help brighten some people’s day. What I didn’t know was that God was teaching me to be comfortable visiting people in the nursing home and hospital. I was in training to be a pastor even at the age of eight. 

It is a simple green tin box, but it holds many, many memories and yummy recipes. And this year it is one of my most prized possessions. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours.