Becky Morse, a Tribute

Guest Writer:  Ruth Morse

Editor's Note:  Our Helpful Hints columnist, the Cheap Senior Citizen, takes a moment to share what's on her mind this month.  I hope you have enjoyed this year's Helpful Hints as much as I have.  I'm looking forward to some more great money saving tips in 2012.  Ruth's writings are always posted on the 15th and 30th of each month.

(Pictured: The Crocker Sisters, Becky on far right)

I have been thinking about Jim’s mom a lot this month. She died in 2008 at the age of 92. Although she was not the last Crocker sister to die, Becky lived the longest. That kind of tickled her, because, as a child, she had some heart issues and the doctors back then told her parents they “would never raise her.” She showed them!

(Last picture taken)

Mom never had an education. She never had a degree. She never had a career. But she had a calling. She was a true and faithful servant of her Most High God.

She was an unselfish friend to one and all. She spent her life helping others.

She was fearless around the dying. Mom was not an outgoing person. But, of all the people in any hospital room, she was the one who stepped right up to the bed, held a hand, quoted the 23^rd Psalm and other scriptures. Sometimes she even quietly sang. What a gift.

For many, many decades, she was a gifted children’s teacher, not that she ever acknowledged that. But the kids all loved her and that says a lot about how she treated them. She taught Biblical truths in ways simple enough for a child to understand. She used to apologize when she prayed out loud in front of adults, explaining that

she had prayed with children for so many years, her prayers always sounded childlike.

I think they sounded precious to her Lord.

A couple of years before she died, I took her out to run some errands. We stopped at KFC for lunch. The guy behind the counter recognized her, called her by name, and recalled her teaching him in Children’s Church decades earlier.

She was an encourager. At her funeral, one of her pastors challenged the congregation: Who will take Becky’s place? Who will be that encourager? Mom understood the faults of others but she chose to focus on ways to encourage not criticize.

She was a prayer. Right up to the hours before she died, she was concerned about others and challenging us to keep praying for “the kids.” That would be her kids, her grandkids, her great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

What a heritage! What an example!

Mom was modest. She and dad were married 63 years and she never once undressed in front of him. NEVER! On the flip side, she had this delicious sense of humor. One year, when the usual group of family and friends went to Wildwood for a week at the beach, she schemed to borrow a bikini from [well, that person will remain nameless!]. As usual, she changed her clothes in private. Then paraded out to the exploding reaction from one and all!

Mom could play a mean game of Rack-O! She almost never lost, except when she did it on purpose so a youngster could win. The rest of us were toast. I wondered if she cheated. How could you cheat at Rack-O? If I knew how, I would have been able to beat her once in a while.

I miss you, Mom!

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...and one more thing......
uh, I'll get back to you when I remember it.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writer who occasionally shares helpful hints she has learned through her experience.
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The Blizzard of 1990

This is an early Flashback Friday because our Guest Writer, the Cheap Senior Citizen, has her regularly scheduled post for tomorrow.

During the Christmas holiday, with the kids home more and with us taking more time off work, we spent a lot of time looking at old VHS home videos.  It's been so much fun.  I suspect in the next two months you will see a few home videos converted to digital for your amusement...... like this one.

Two teenage boys in Upstate New York enjoy the Blizzard of 1990.
Featuring TroutU's Prof. Steve and Planet Pookie's infamous Cousin David with a cameo appearance from Nana.  Also, a quick peek at NY's beloved dog "Chain" who was tragically killed off Hwy. 302 soon after his retirement to the South.

Fighting the Same Old Battle? Yeah, Me Too

"Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted."

II Sam. 21:15

Do you think that was written with a heavy sigh?  "Once again...." 


I picture God picking up His pen at night after I'm curled up in bed asleep, writing in His diary....  "Once again there was a battle between Valerie and...."

Breakfast Casserole

So you're having a crowd in for the weekend and wondering what to feed them for breakfast.  You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen while everyone else is sleeping in!  Why feed them something from a box in the freezer........

... when you can feed them sausage, eggs and cheese fresh from the oven with very little effort?!
Now with this super easy and delicious egg casserole, they'll think you're June Cleaver!
This feeds a huge crowd and all the work is done the night before, so breakfast is easy and relaxing.  OK, enough with the commercial.  I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Nancy.  And that girl knows how to feed a crowd.

"Breakfast Before"
1 lb. pork sausage (or bacon)
6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 1/2 slices white bread, cubed
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cook and drain meat.  Put bread on bottom of 13x9 pan.  Spread cheese and meat over the bread.  In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, salt and mustard.  Pour this mix over the meat mixture in the pan.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I've found that I prefer to make 1 1/2 times the recipe per pan.  Also I've found that you can freeze it before baking and thaw it out the day before you want to cook it.

Merry Christmas

My brother-in-law received this Christmas card from a friend in Poland.  The verse in small print is John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a special blessing as we celebrate on a Sunday!

Santy Claus is Comin'?

..... that's hard to believe.

Last Christmas, it snowed in South Carolina (see video), we went sledding and ate Jackie's potato soup (see recipe) and I thought that was unusual.  (it was)  This year, my windows are open and the attic fan is going full blast, it's 70 degrees out.  Now that is unusual!......

Llewellyn and Clara Jones, The Music

Part four in a four-part series Rev. Llewellyn and Mrs. Clara Jones.

I've been attending Baptist churches for 48 years now and the very first pastor I can remember and picture in my mind is Pastor Jones.  He was the one who baptised me and established the foundation for my spiritual growth.  He and his wife were also good friends of my parents so we have a lot of family memories as well.

Back in the '70's at our little rural church, the Jones family often sang for the church.  Pastor and his 5 kids are all talented and musically gifted.  Clara?  Not so much.  She and I agreed that we both can't tell when we're off key, can barely tell when someone else is off key and I have no earthly idea what pitch is.  But we both love music.  I might actually die without it, but she didn't make such a strong pronouncement.....

Blonde Brownies, Tasty Tuesday

I've had this recipe for a long time and can't remember who gave it to me.  I haven't made it in a long time, but it's a good one.  I've been thinking about it since I returned from Florida with a trunk full of oranges.  Another great idea for New Years Eve!  (Ps.  I leave out the raisins just because I'm not a kid anymore and I don't have to eat raisins)

Blonde Brownies

 2 c peeled and diced apples (Granny Smith)

1 c firmly packed brown sugar

½ c (1 stick) butter

1 egg

1 ½ c  flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp each salt, nutmeg, allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans

½ c raisins  (optional!!)

Creamy Citrus Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat 325.  Butter 9 x 13 metal (not glass) pan.....

Llewellyn and Clara Jones, Retirement? Bah.

I was talking recently with Pastor Llewellyn (Cal) Jones and his wife, Clara as we looked back on their 54 years in full time ministry in the pastorate.  In a previous post I gave you some of their advice to young pastors and now I want to share a couple things about their ministry.  It was very encouraging to see that despite the outward signs of retirement -- senior citizens, living in FL, living in a motorhome -- the Jones' had not retired, they were still actively serving God.  I also asked about their most memorable moments.... read on, my friend.......

Port Charlotte, FL Church

I'm propped up in my bed on a Sunday morning, tissues, books, computer all around me.  Sniffle, cough, ache.  I don't feel good and I sort of want my mommy to feel my forehead and fuss over me.  It's Sunday morning and I am missing church.  I am thinking about my new church, a church plant in a nearby community that Tom is helping out to get their music ministry started.  I am thinking of the children there who will perform their Christmas musical today.  I am thinking of my home church where my daughters and BFFs attend and my pastor's wife is about to explode with new life.  But mostly I am thinking of last week at this time, the church I got to visit and the message about our Padre Eterno, Principe da paz Everlasting Father, who always seems especially close when I am curled up in bed with a cup of coffee.

A few weeks ago in my Florida Tour I managed to get back to one of my favorite churches -- Edgewater United Methodist Church.  This church meets in a former movie theater which always appeals to my creative side.

Our 9:30 Sunday a.m. service was packed out.   It was a contemporary service.  They currently offer three Sunday monring services, one of which is traditional.  They also offer a Saturday evening service which we almost attended.  I've never had a Satruday night worship service and was interested to see how it felt. They will have three Christmas Eve services (!) and one Christmas Day service with a potluck following. Interesting, huh?   They offer a thrift store, bike ministry, recovery ministry, lots of kids ministries, promise keepers, ladies clubs, etc.  divorce care, food pantry..... Does your church reach out to the community like that?

You know when you visit a church there are times you immediately feel like family and then some times you never feel quite comfortable?   This church has always felt like home to me.  This church and a church in Nashville I'll never forget.

EdgewaterChurch.com

facebook.com/edgewaterchurch

Llewellyn and Clara Jones, 30 Years Later

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Palm Beach, Florida.  I can only take so much in-your-face wealth and fluff, so I soon hung a hard right at Royal Palm and took a beeline towards Lake Okeechobee.  I was on a mission for Trout University, I wanted to see who was catching what on this bass-famous lake. (answer: nobody.  I saw No.Body fishing, but the locks are fascinating)

En route I had another one of my brilliant ideas:  why don't I look up my former pastor who will always be  "My Pastor"   reported to be living in the town of Okeechobee ministering on the Seminole Reservation?  Besides, I'd never been to a real reservation and I wanted to see me some teepees.

Guess what?  I didn't see any teepees.  These are 21st century Indians, the houses, the cars, the land.... all look like the rest of the state.  I was disappointed.   But I had such a great time catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, the teepees were long forgotten.  I had so much fun, I got to go back the next day and have a longer visit.....

Use Heat Therapy Corn Bag to Keep Food Hot

 Guest Writer: Ruth Morse

A corny idea.
I've been attending a weekly ladies' Bible study at church this fall. We are using a Beth Moore DVD series on the life of David. It's a great time. We have a special group of ladies, a fantastic leader and are learning so much.

Being Baptist, though, we do like to have a snack whenever we meet. I signed up for a week in November. Dug out an old yummy Applesauce Spice Muffin recipe and conned Jim into doing most of the work. I'm no fool!

These muffins are great, but better when they are warm. What to do? I am not one of these super-organized women who has tucked away every conceivable kind of container/casserole/carrier/gizmo you'd ever wish to own, for any circumstance of life. I did have a very nice basket...... 

Keep Cords Untangled with this Cord Winder

We were cruising through a Batteries Plus store in Florida looking for a cordless phone battery when I found these magnificent objects called an AppleCore:

I've been so frustrated with the cord on my earbuds!  Everytime I use my iPod, I have to untangle the cord.  But not anymore, my friend, check this out:

It works like a charm, too, I love it.  I got some bigger applecores that I'll try for my laptop cord, my nook cord, phone cord and tethering cord.  Am I forgetting anything?

Lemon Meringue Pie, Tasty Tuesday

The secret to an outstanding lemon meringue pie is in the lemon.  According to my mom, the world's best pie baker, you need to use a Ponderosa lemon. That is the secret to awesomeness.  And my mom knows awesome.

The Ponderosa can be difficult to find -- call, email or stop in any orange shop and see if they have some -- they may not even know what you're talking about, so elusive is she.

I suppose I am thinking about the Ponderosa lemon now because I've just spent a week in Florida, the closest place for me to acquire a fresh Ponderosa.....

Llewellyn Jones: Advice for Young Pastors From a 54 Year Veteran Pastor

I recently had the chance to get back down to the perpetually sunny state of Florida and with my unending battle with SAD, I always need a little sun in the winter.  Just like a cute little tulip, I perk up nice when I get me some sunshine.

On a quiet afternoon I met up with Rev. Llewellyn ("Cal") Jones and his wife, Clara.  In the ministry now for 54 years, they are currently serving at a church on the Seminole Reservation, proving my theory that Christians are not called to retire. Christians are called to serve, love and minister until they die, I'm pretty sure.  And there the Jones' are, in a motor home, in Florida, in retirement years, but still going strong.

(Left to right:  Cal, Clara, daughter Laurie, friend Raina)

So of course I had to ask them some questions. I wanted to wallow in the wealth of wisdom 54 years of ministry produces. I wished I had several days to talk to them.

"What," I asked, "would you advise a young pastor and his wife who are just starting out in ministry?" .....

This is the look my son gave me right before his wedding almost a month ago:

This look haunts me

humors me

delights me

confounds me.

What was he thinking?

I love the eye-to-eye contact, the idea that there was an unspoken moment between us.  Was it a thanks for raising him?  A thanks for all the times he got to lick the bowl, snuggle while watching the moon outside his bedroom window, listen to the snoopy song while riding to school?  Was it panic?  Wondering if he was making the right move, wondering if there is anything else I should tell him, wondering if marriage is good?  Was it regret?  Was it assurance?  Was it a pause, a moment to withdraw from what was happening around us and acknowledge our relationship?

Was it goodbye?

Breathing's Just a Rhythm

Hold on

one more time with feeling

try it again, breathing's just a rhythm

say it all in your mind until you know that the words are right

this is why we fight

you thought by now you'd be

so much better than you are

you thought by now they'd see

that you have come so far

and the pride inside their eyes

is synchronized into a love you'll never know

so much more than you can show

hold on

one more time with feeling

try it again, breathing's just a rhythm

say it in your mind until you know that the

words are right

this is why we fight

this is why we fight

One more time with feeling ~ Regina Spektor

Rod Stewart Look-Alike

I've always wondered what ever became of Rod Stewart...... I think we found him in a little outdoor cafe'.

Cheese Dip, Tasty Tuesday

This cheese dip is actually called "To-Die-For Cheese Dip."  That's how good it is.  I've had this for quite awhile, my memory isn't clear on who gave it to me.  I think Cousin David's wife, Renee passed it along.  This would be great for New Years Eve.

8 oz cream cheese

2 chopped green onions (I prefer a little less)

8 oz Swiss cheese

8 oz Colby jack cheese

1 c mayonnaise

12 crushed Ritz crackers

¼ c real bacon bits

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped onions and shredded cheese.

Put in glass dish

Top it with crushed crackers and bacon bits.

Microwave until hot and bubbly – 4 -7 minutes.

The Energy of Essex Has Me Totally Knackered

When Marj and I backpack across Europe next Summer, we have decided to visit Essex.   We want to see if everyone in Essex is super-hyper.  Sophia Grace and Russell Brand are both from there. They don't claim to be related, but surely...... you see for yourself.  Can everyone in Essex be like this??   Anyway, Marj and I are gonna get to the bottom of this......

Hometown Holiday

I live in a quaint little town much like TV's Stars Hollow.  Not that I often use TV as a reference point, but it works.

For Christmas, our little town has a Hometown Holiday that includes a horse and carriage ride, fireworks, musical performances by just about everyone and small shops that invite you to stop by for cookies and cocoa.  Parade, car show, crafts.... we have it all.

But this year?  Even the parade host was surprised by one parade entry.   "And ladies and gentlemen, now coming through the parade is a lovely, young gir......" {pause}  "We have a giraffe in the parade??"  {laughter}  "We have a giraffe in the parade!!!"  {glee}......

December Daily

Way back in the day, I used to be a scrapbooker.  All that got shoved to the back corner of my life once I began blogging.  This year, 2011, I am going to attempt to do Ali Edwards' December Daily.   It requires scrapbooking every day in December, but just one page, one very small page in my case.  The page is to reflect something -- anything -- about that day.

I picked up a few more supplies while I was at the Scrapbooking Superstore in Seiverville, TN this past weekend and I'm fired up.

I think I can..... I think I can.... I th......