COMFORT CORNER

Sometimes, the strangest things bring us comfort...a word, a song, a food. Sometimes, it's a poem. Or a sweet picture. The things here in Comfort Corner are meant to give you that minute or two of respite that may save your day.

Poetry...

Our son, Chad, had a rusted bicycle he was always going to restore. Every Christmas, since his murder, we decorate the bike and put it out in front of our house.
"But why a bicycle? Why not a sled?" It's just not Christmassy, dear," she said.
And then my neighbor took herself home to her present-filled sleigh and four-foot, lighted gnome.
Her yard did look festive, all dressed for the season, and I couldn't explain the bicycle's reason.
Why, in December, flat tires wreathed in lights, the bike is the dearest of our Christmas sights.
The handlebars glow with bright garland's reflection, reminding that God gives our family direction.
The faded, chipped paint says that in this brief life we often have pain, disappointment and strife.
But in Everafter, where everything's new, our pain disappears, and our deepest trials, too.
The wobbly spokes, rusted but still hanging on, remind us to push until our race is done.
Why a bicycle? My eyes always tear. You see it was owned by someone we hold dear.
He was here and then-in a breath-he was gone, leaving his family behind to go on.
But tears turn to laughter as boys turn to men, and this bike reminds us we'll see him again.
Because of the Child of that blessed Christmas birth, Our child waits to greet us when we leave this earth,
Oh, why a bicycle? What picture more clear of the race and the hope of the dawning new year?
Caryl Harvey

Christmas Luminaria

Needed:

Plastic gallon milk jugs...at least 10

String of LARGE outdoor lights

Directions:
Wash out the jugs and fill them 3/4 full with water. Place them along a walkway or anywhere you want the luminaria effect. String the lights, with the plug in end closest to your outlet, and a bulb in the top of each jug. When the water freezes, the ice disperses the light from the bulbs. The result is beautiful, and very peaceful. It is especially nice with blue bulbs.

Writing a Poem

Sometimes, when words spin in our heads and feelings crowd out everything in our minds, it helps to write them down. Poetry seems to strike a chord in hurting people. Maybe that's because there is something soothing in putting the feelings into words, and then onto a paper with RULES and LOGIC in the way they are presented. You might try your hand at writing a poem to your loved one, or in her honor. There are a lot of rules for formal poetry...but almost none you need to observe.

If you want to put rhythm in your poems, the syllables are called "feet." IN poetry, lines usually have the same number of feet. In Mary Had a Little Lamb, for instance, the feet are like this : Da ta-DA ta-DA ta-DA____ta-DA ta-DA-ta-DA__DA ta-DA ta-DAta-DA__ta-DA ta-DA ta-DA. You don't have to give your poem rhythm, but again...there might be some satisfaction in making all those feelings tame to some rules...rules that YOU set up.

AS far as rhyme, almost-rhymes work when you can't fit your feelings into the exact sound you need.

And if the thought of bending your thoughts into rhyme and rhythm schemes is too much for you right now, then simply write. Put your feelings into similies ( my heart feels like a broken vase that can't hold love again.) or in metaphors ( my heart IS a broken vase that can't hold love again.) Write your anger and your sadness. Write the joy that comes from a grandchild or a sunrise. JUST WRITE You might be surprised at what comes out

Comfort Food

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon milk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. Mix in a large bowl, pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Blend well
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda
4. Stir in pumpkin mixture, and add the milk. Blend well
5. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts
6. Use teaspoon to drop cookies on baking sheet
7. Bake 8 - 10 minutes

Serves 18 (3 dozen)


Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake
Ingredients

1 large can pumpkin

1 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

Pumpkin pie spice

1 box yellow or pecan cake mix

Chopped walnuts

Directions: Make pumpkin pie filling according to directions on the can or using your favorite recipe adding the eggs and spices, place into a 9x13 baking pan. Cover with the DRY cake mix. Drizzle on the melted margarine--making sure to cover the entire top of the cake. Sprinkle on the nuts.
Bake @ 350 for about 1 1/2 hours, or until cake is solid.
Serve with whipped topping. This tastes like pumpkin pie and is really rich. A little goes a long way.

Goulash

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef--browned

Medium onion, chopped

Large can chopped tomatoes

American cheese

Package elbow macaroni

1 Tbsp sugar

Salt &a pepper to taste

Celery powder or salt ( if you use celery salt, adjust the amount of table salt used)

Directions: Combine all ingredients except cheese in a Dutch oven or soup tureen and cook until macaroni is tender. Stir in cheese until it is melted.