Cookies, VBS, and Treasured Memories

As I hastily put this together, I recalled Vacation Bible Schools of long ago. I have written previously about attending VBS at the Big Bend Baptist Church. As a little one, I had no inkling what a treat I experienced attending VBS each day where my maternal grandma, Gladys Rainey Smith, taught the older students and my paternal grandma, Mamie Tripp Gates, and her dear friend, Fern Anson, lovingly served cookies and Kool-aide to us.

She Only Wanted One Brand

          Aunt Daisy Dean Rainey Rice (she was my great-aunt since she and Grandma Gladys Rainey Smith were sisters) often sent by my father to pick up a few items at town. (Ironically, Dad or Grandpa frequently did the grocery shopping.) Many times, when we gave her a call, she requested a Duncan Hines cake mix. She always specified “Duncan Hines” so I was excited when I discovered semi-homemade recipes using Aunt Daisy’s favorite brand.

        A few months ago, I made a plain vanilla cookie from a recipe calling for a Duncan Hines white cake mix. Mother and I enjoyed the taste of the cookies. The photo below revealed the appealing appearance of the cookie. 

Vanilla Cookies Made from a Duncan Hines
White Cake Mix

        I hadn't made many cookies since Dad’s death. Angie discovered Dad really liked the softness of Loft House cookies but didn’t prefer the frosting on them. I researched online and found a taste-like Loft House cookies recipe. They were so easy to whip up. I combined a Betty Crocker cake mix, any flavor worked, 1/3 cup canola oil, and 3 eggs and baked at 375^o F for about 8 minutes.

        My father was the epitome of self-control. He only ate one cookie per meal. It didn’t matter if the cookies were hot out of the oven or not. Only one cookie for him.

        The season rolled around for VBS 2018. Our church scheduled a workday. Mention was made of “snickerdoodle” and “oatmeal raisin” cookies. An alarm went off in my brain. Here was my chance.

        I had found a snickerdoodle “semi-homemade” recipe on http://www.cookkosher.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6591 so the work day before Vacation Bible School was a chance to try it out. I pulled out a Duncan Hines Butter Golden moist cake mix from the freezer and of course, thought of Aunt Daisy.

Here’s how I made these snickerdoodles.

1          I preheated the oven to 375^o F.

2          In a small bowl, I combined 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and set it aside for later.

3          Then I combined the cake mix with two eggs and 1 stick of butter or margarine. (My 93-year-old mother refuses to use recipes that call for more than that amount of butter or margarine. She even tweaks recipes to reduce it even more.) 

4          Using two spoons (it just is less messy on my hands), I made about 1-inch balls of dough, rolled them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture, and placed them on the aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. (My last few cookies were rolled in Mother’s own sugar/cinnamon mixture. She ups the cinnamon in her mix. They tasted better, especially if you like more cinnamon. But she didn't have exact proportion of sugar and cinnamon she used.)

5          Before placing them in the oven, I flattened each ball of dough with the bottom of a drinking glass.

6          The cookies baked for 9 minutes, cooled for 1 minute, and then I removed them from the aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.

Snickerdoodle Cookies Made from a Duncan Hines
Butter Golden Cake Mix

Finally, as I reflected on the prospective VBS students on our church’s list and then thought of the teachers, helpers, and workers, I realized Aunt Daisy had relatives either as young students, teachers, or helpers at every level.

I thought of how she loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She delighted in lavishing sweet treats on them or anyone when they came to her house.

As I concluded this posting, my mind went to the longest chapter in the Bible. It is chapter 119 of Psalms. I do not think it is coincidental that it is an encompassing treatise on God’s Word. The snickerdoodles and other VBS sweet treats popped into my mind as I read Psalm 119:103:

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

May we ever savor God’s Word as we meditate on it as we fall asleep each night, as we wake to a new day each morning with its promises on our lips, as we go through the day with a heart of thankfulness for His gracious goodness to us, and a will to obey what we've read.

For any readers living in the Ralston area, encourage your young relatives or neighbors to participate in VBS 2018 for 5-12 year-old students at Ralston Baptist Church on June 10-14, Sunday through Thursday evenings from 6 – 8:30 p.m.  VBS Family Day will be on Sunday, June 17, beginning with breakfast at 10 a.m. with Worship Rally following.