Want to Know a Secret?

                                                                            Because you asked...

Labor Day is here. For your last summer gathering, I want to share a secret with you: Gammy's Banana Pudding recipe. After I posted a picture of this dessert on Facebook for the 4th of July, requests began to come in, asking that I share the recipe. Now is the perfect time.

Gammy's Banana Pudding has a reputation. It has been served at wedding receptions, family reunions, potlucks, and pool parties for as long as I can remember. Why, my nephew Louis even made it for his Major League Baseball team when he was with the Kansas City Royals. Now that he is with the Dodger's, he gave it to the team chefs to make. "They whipped it up to perfection," (Louis), and the Menu for the Day read: Gammy's Banana Pudding. 

That's not all. Just recently, my daughter Grace, with a pregnancy craving, phoned my Mother, Gammy, for the recipe. Patiently, step-by-step, over the phone, Grandmother coached Granddaughter in the finer nuances of making Gammy's Banana Pudding.  

So you see, one generation after another loves this culinary creation. For us, it meets needs on many different levels as it soothes, satisfies, encourages and delights. And since we don't want to be selfish, I requested and received permission to share this with you. Blessings from our family!

Remember: this is a make-a-memory recipe. Like many memory makers, this is not fast, and it can’t be made the day before. There are no shortcuts. The finished product is delicious, but will need focus and effort. So, put on your apron, get out your prep bowls, and select your serving dish. Have heavy boiler, wire whisk, and wooden spoon handy. Are you ready? Here we go!

Gammy’s Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

6 bananas
4 c. whole milk
4 eggs
1 ¼ c. sugar
1 ½ T. cornstarch
2 T. vanilla
1 stick of butter
Pinch of salt
1 ½ box of Vanilla Wafers (Nabisco, original)

Instructions:                                                                                  

Step 1
Stir cornstarch into the sugar.
Add salt.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.
Pour dry mixture on top of the eggs; beat by hand, removing lumps.

Step 2
Heat the milk slowly on low, but do not boil. 
When a skim should forms on the surface, remove from heat.
Remove half of the warm milk from the stove and slowly pour this ½ of the warm milk into the egg mixture, stirring as you pour. 
Pour the combined milk and egg mixture slowly back into the original milk.
Place the complete mixture back on the stove. 

Step 3
Stir forever, nonstop. A low to low-medium heat is all this can take.
When the mixture thickens, you will have a rich custard. 
Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and butter. 
If there are lumps, don’t panic, but do get rid of them. Pour the entire mixture through a strainer. You want to achieve the texture of silk.

Hint: One of my pleasures is dipping vanilla wafers from the box into this mixture before I proceed. Invite others to join you. 

Step 4
Layer into your favorite bowl, round or rectangle
Layer whole vanilla wafers first
Add a sliced banana
Add a layer of custard
Repeat once or twice, depending on the size of your bowl
Always ending with vanilla wafers on top
Keep in a cool place and serve soon, to avoid refrigeration

Intentions:

To bring joy to you and those you love. Rarely do we have leftovers, but if so, be sure to refrigerate. 

I am eager to hear from you on your culinary foray into the world of homemade Gammy's Banana Pudding. When I share a recipe, I have only one request: will you please pray for me when you make this? Thank you!

Just Show Up

I am at the Rio 2016 Olympics and this is a guest post from a remarkable woman, Susan B. Mead. 

Susan, author, survivor, and an individual who has dealt with multiple losses, is an empathetic, powerful, sought-after speaker with real answers to life’s tough questions. Susan is a Senior Ordained Chaplain, Certified by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, for individuals and groups suffering trauma. Susan’s best-selling book Dance with Jesus: From Grief to Grace, is available on Amazon.

Susan tweets @SusanBMead, posts scripture graphics daily on Facebook and Instagram and hosts the DanceWithJesus™ blog linkup each Friday at her website, SusanBMead.com. 

 

Just Show Up

Have you ever lost something dear to you? You looked high and low – then looked again, retracing every step and picking up every piece of paper in your path. Yet you were disappointed, distraught and even disgusted with yourself (or whomever!) for losing it in the first place. 

Yea, me too.

My husband’s wedding ring seemed to be missing – again. Not the first time, but the second time this year, his wedding band turned up  MIA.

Anger, hurt, and dismay warred in me.  He remembers his watch, yet forgets ME?  When he removes his wedding ring it seems to distance me from his heart in my mind.

Anybody else ever dealt with these thoughts and feelings, for whatever reason?

Was I out of my mind to think like this? Holt loves me – and was distraught at the loss – his loss.  So much emotion at play for both of us, which is a very vulnerable place to be.  

Would I wind up words to hurl them, hurting him – and our marriage – over a thing – his ring?

Or would I line up beside him, raising hands and praising God for His faithfulness to us.  God kept us together through the hardest loss of all, the loss of a child, a son, our youngest one.

Does a thing – a ring – really matter?

Truth hit me – square in the face.  This is exactly where the enemy wants me – and you – to be. Warring with our husbands – for whatever reason.

So we looked again, thinking just show up, please. Seemed like nothing – except prayer and praise – would raise this ring!
God knocked on my heart early, so up I got and down I sat to read His Word and pray His will – with a special prayer raised for revealing the ring, restoring the thing that symbolizes my husband’s commitment to our marriage. Please let it just show up, God.

Knock, knock, Holt rapped on my door, something he seldom does when I pray. He just showed up at the door, raised his hand, revealing his ring, restored to it’s rightful place!

You know what he said? “It just showed up on the middle of my dresser, in plain sight.”

Praise God! Only You, God, place that which is lost right in front of us – when we just show up in prayer and praise, trusting You to show up when we need You most.   

True Confessions of a Soccer Fan

I am in Brazil for the 2016 Olympics. It seems appropriate to republish a previous post to highlight the significance of this nation in my life.

True Confessions of a Soccer Fan

God, I am sorry. I am so, so sorry.

2014. This was our first live World Cup experience, and we were jazzed. The iconic Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro was pulsating with excitement as we made our way to our seats. The teams were warming up, and the noise was escalated as we inched our way to our ground-level seats. 

Decibels of excitement were at a fever pitch. Fans were dancing, clapping, swinging and swaying; owners of vuvuzelas horns were blowing their piercing sounds relentlessly. Cameras were snapping and strangers were grouping for selfies as if we were all old friends. 

Suddenly…without warning, in the midst of all of this, I had the strangest sensation. “I have been here before.” As I sat in my ground-level seat, it was as if The Holy Spirit gently turned my head to gaze up at the Top Tier, and a place where I, Debby, occupied a seat in 1970.

From that top-level seat then to my ground-level seat now, a personal journey of 44 years had transpired. The celebration around me faded as the Lord and I revisited my first trip to Brazil and to this world-renowned stadium.

True Confession:

A full-blown spiritual panic attack preceded my first trip 1970. As a university student, I was in a wrestling match with God. Prior to the trip, I was reading Come Help Change the World, by Bill Bright, and I was gripped by fear of my future. I was so afraid that God wanted me to go on vacation to Brazil, because He would one day force me to return as a missionary. I was terrified of letting the Lord control my life, fearing this would mean death to the life I dreamed of. I hyperventilated as I contemplated the result of such surrender. 

True Confession:

I was too embarrassed to cancel the vacation trip, so, I soldiered ahead, packed, and boarded the plane.                                                                                                                                          

Once on the ground of this fascinating South American nation, I lived with a gracious Brazilian family. They treated me to my first soccer match in this very same, famous Maracanã stadium. We cheered as the famous Pelé, considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time, played before his nation. 

When the trip concluded, I kissed Brazil goodbye. I said, “Ciao” to Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf Mountain, black beans, soccer and Maracanã Stadium. So I thought…

Upon returning to campus fall of 1970, my life was changed forever. I met a group of students who had a smile on their face, a song in their heart, and a spring in their step. They were marching to the beat of a different drum, and I joined their ranks. I yielded my life to Christ, and traded His plan for mine. “Anything, Anytime, Anywhere” became my personal manifesto. My clarion call, along with my colleagues was, “Come Help Change the World.”

My wrestling match with God was over. The fear-gripping spiritual panic attacks ceased, and a supernatural peace was mine. 

Before long, I fell in love with a young football player. His proposal was, “Will you go with me in helping to reach the world for Christ?” My answer, “Yes,” has taken me to live in 4 countries with 4 cultures and 4 languages, seeking to bring the Good News of Jesus to an entire globe. 

True Confession:

In all of this, Brazil was not even on my RADAR…until 2014 when I found myself in the same nation, in the same city, lo, even in the same stadium.  The gripping fear on the Top Tier had been replaced with a blessed peace on the Bottom Bench. What I was adamantly opposed to, so extremely afraid of on the Top Tier, I was fiercely committed to on the Bottom Bench. 

“God, I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry to have wrestled with you. I was foolish to think Your plan would ruin my life. Right here on this Bottom Bench I look up at the Top Tier and celebrate the 44-year journey from there to here, from then to now.

Thank You for patiently, lovingly drawing me to trust You. Releasing my tight-fisted grip on my life, saying to You, “Anything, Anytime, Anywhere” has led to greater blessing than I ever dreamed humanly possible. And God, Thank You for bringing me back to Brazil as a missionary.  I confess, You were right all along."