I have written before that after my mother passed away in the summer of 2011, I wanted to cancel our Christmas celebrations. After all, the one person you thought would live forever was now gone, so to me, what was the purpose?
I seriously contemplated this until the good Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Your mom would have wanted you to keep the traditions alive for the kids and everyone else.” After all, what if my mom had canceled when my grandpa died? We would have missed out on all those great celebrations afterwards.
I made it through the first few years with a half smile and half heart broke. It was not easy until one day, my brother called me that had found something in our mom’s belongings.
A recipe. Yes, a recipe. It was something she made only at Christmas and when he told me, I sat down and immediately was overcome with so many positive emotions, I almost couldn’t breathe.
It was a fudge recipe. Her fudge recipe. It wasn’t fancy, nor was it going to win any awards. You probably could find much better fudge in a chocolate shop in Gatlinburg.
Now making it, I didn’t care because it would be nothing like she made it, but that was not the point.
I have other things with her handwriting that was labeled for me that are priceless. This though, is a most simple recipe for fudge that is my Magna Carta. My Constitution. My Declaration of Independence. Documents that changed our world for the better. This recipe made my world a better place.
When I think of the happiness she had making that for all us, there is a feeling inside of me that I cannot describe. One that now stays with me forever.
A simple recipe. That is it.
Now, we celebrate Christmas with her wonderful spirit around us and my prayer is simple when it comes to her: “I thank God upon every remembrance of you.”
Merry Christmas! May you find your “recipe” this year that brings you unbridled joy.
