Presbyterian Women (USA)

Presbyterian Women (USA)

We had our monthly meeting of Presbyterian Women at Dale’s house today.  Usually, we meet at Church, but occasionally we meet at someone’s home.  These meetings are always very special.  Dale’s home is the family homestead filled with antiques.  Like me, she has a like for cobalt colored glassware with an entire cabinet pretty much devoted to it.  I recognized many of the patterns from my own love of Depression Era glassware.

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Dale's aloe bloom

Molly's aloe bloom

One of her rooms is a huge living room/family room with a stone fireplace.  The house is on a large acreage land.  She has several aloe plants in her yard; one is in bloom.  We also have aloe plants, recently in bloom. I think, however, they must be a slightly different variety.

We celebrated Christmas with our annual Christmas party.  A “cookie exchange” was our main refreshment.  Surprisingly in this day and age when few people bake, most of the cookies were homemade.  We not only exchanged cookies, but we also had several “cookie stories.”

I believe Dana said that she does not bake as a rule.  She had a recipe from her mother.  They were peanut butter cookies.  She never realized that one rolls the peanut butter into balls and then takes a fork to flatten.  She tried to flatten them once they came out of the oven.  They did not look perfect, but WOW, were they ever good!  Her hospitality, hot apple cider, and perfection as a hostess far outweighed the not-quite-perfect-looking (but very yummy) cookies.

Candace brought a plate with three types of cookies—molasses, chocolate and an oatmeal/peppermint.  She had no trouble with the latter two.  But the molasses cookie recipe came from a very old cookbook that had directions that were, well, old and not very detailed.  After mixing the molasses/butter and the dry ingredients together, it was like a very watery soup.  She kept adding flour, and more flour, and more flour until the consistency came close to what drop cookie dough should be.  The cookies actually came out pretty well, they were very moist.  But she said that with all that flour, maybe a tad more ginger and cinnamon could have been added.  They tasted good to the rest of us, however.

Maria promised to make some cookies like no ever tasted.  Bet they were good, but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, she was not able to make it.  I guess she was right, no one ever tasted the likes of them.

Then, there is Catherine’s tale of woe.  Catherine had planned to get up at five am to make her special pineapple ribbons.  That was her first mistake!  They are a rolled cookie.  Somewhere in her moving here and there, her rolling pin disappeared.  So, she used a glass to try to roll them out.  She said that did not work too well.  Her pie crimper, which she also felt was an essential tool, was also gone.  So, she used a knife.  Again, she felt this function did not turn out too good and did not make for good-looking cookies.  I know we eat with our eyes, but I can close my eyes and taste the yummy easily.  The next thing that happened was that those particular cookies are supposed to have a glaze on them.  She had forgotten to buy milk for her glaze.  After four horrible hours of trying to get her project correct, she went to the store.  I would have loved to try her cookies, but the store-bought’n  ones were okay, too.

No matter the trouble, I, Molly enjoyed all of them several times over.

The fellowship in this group is super.  Lots of laughter. 

But reviewing ones house. Fellowship, cookies and partying are not the reasons for our meeting.  We have a short business meeting; then, we move into Bible study.  Each month someone volunteers to lead the lesson. This year we are studying the Beatitudes.  I was excited at the subject matter when I first heard it.  We use a standard book recommended by the Presbytery.  In my opinion, it is AWFUL.  How can anyone mess up something so beautiful as the Beatitudes!!?  Our lesson was presented this month by our hostess.  Thank you, LORD, for giving us Dana. She went outside the book, did a lot of research and presented a wonderful lesson that produced lots of discussion.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.  Matthew 5:6

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Luke 6:21