Sunday, December 24, 2023

Mary's Baby

 

 


Most mothers think their baby is the cutest, sweetest, and brightest baby ever born, and they believe their child will grow up to make a major contribution to the world.

If the mom holds athletics in her DNA, perhaps she dreams her baby will become another Tom Brady or a Michael Jordan. If the mom’s family is known for high IQs, she imagines her child will be another Einstein. But present-day mothers can merely hope and fantasize about their baby’s destiny.

The Virgin Mary knew with certainty that her baby was special. An angel told her.

When the angel, Gabriel, told the virgin Mary she would have a baby boy, Gabriel also told the terrified teenage mother-to-be that her baby would be the Son of the Most High, would rule over the house of Jacob, and His rule would have no end. Luke 1:30.

No need for an ultrasound here. Mary received a Divine Revelation.

What was in Mary’s DNA to make this baby special?

She belonged to the tribe of Judah.

Other than her ancestry, Scripture doesn’t divulge why she found favor with God.

Did Gabriel tell Mary her son would die on the cross? Nope.  He didn’t reveal that.

Did Gabriel say, “And by the way, your heart will break as you watch your son die.” Nope. He left that out.

Did ole Gabe tell her how to raise this special child? Nope, nary a word.

That little teenage girl knew she carried a special baby, but like all mothers, she didn’t know the future. She was a mere mortal, chosen to live an astonishing life as a parent to a normal baby who really wasn’t normal. He was an ordinary baby, with typical infant needs, but He was also the Son of God.

How did Mary parent Him?

With love, affection, and discipline. That’s what mothers do.

Sarah and a Texas Christmas

 

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Children's Books

 

https://pixabay.com/images/search/reading%20to%20a%20child/


Have you shopped for any books for your kids lately? 

I stopped at the General Dollar store today. “It will be a quick shopping trip,” or so I thought to myself.

I found no children’s books anywhere in stock.  I asked the cashier about them. “No, we don’t carry them at this store.”

Odd, right?  They once did.  And it is Christmas, so why wouldn’t there be plenty around?

“Oh well,” I thought, “The CVS will have them. I’ll pick some up there.” Would you believe it? No books on shelves, either. The cashier had the same story.

Kroger’s Market was next on the list. Nope. Nada. Nothing.  Personnel said they don’t carry children’s books these days.

I knew Dr. Suess was disappearing from shelves, but what happened to other authors of children's books?

I suppose it’s easier for a store to cease carrying books rather than sift through which ones are culturally correct.

Folks, this is sad. Parents need to protest!

Nothing is sweeter than reading a book to a child.  They cuddle in your lap and look at pictures.

My grandson loved Clifford; it is long gone, and I wanted to buy another one.


Amazon

 

I found a Clifford, the Big Red Dog book on Amazon, and I ordered it. Yay!  Amazon still has them.  They even have Dr. Suess!  But buy quick. No telling when Amazon will terminate them.

Books should be available. Parents can decide which ones are appropriate. 

NY Times

Friday, December 8, 2023

Christmas Comes too Soon!


 My Tree


Would you prefer Thanksgiving to come earlier than the third Thursday in November? 

If it did, we would have more time for Christmas! Retailers would love it. Extra weeks to sell their goodies, and extra hours for us to shop. Citizens would have added weeks to decorate and appreciate homes.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried a switcheroo. The depression was harsh on the country’s economy, so, FDR wanted to increase retail sales. In 1941, he suggested additional days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, however, Congress insisted on making the fourth Thursday in November the official holiday. So, unfortunately, Old FDR lost.

I visited a home this past week, and the Christmas décor was stunning.  The lady of the house spent days placing the items in every room. She will no sooner get them all out until she must take them down. That’s a lot of work for a short few weeks to relish the display.

People become frazzled at Christmas. We have too few hours and spend too much money.

As we all know, Christmas is not about gifts, Santa Claus, or family dinners. Sure, that’s part of it, and it is a wonderful part, but the real reason we celebrate Christmas is the baby in the manger.

The Fallen Angel doesn’t want us to focus on the Christ, the King, born as a baby, so Satan keeps us harried and hurried. I suspect Lucifer likes the short distance between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  He uses it to his advantage.

I once taught a group of kids who visited from another country.  Many of them had never heard the Bethlehem story.

Have you told the story to your kids? Don’t become so hassled with shopping, baking, and decorating that you ignore the why of the holiday.

Christmas is the birthday of the King.

Come to think of it, Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas season. We thank God for blessings and the chief blessing is this: He sent His Son to us.

However, I’d like more time to express gratitude.

My Christmas Books

Sarah and a Texas Christmas


Sarah Helps Santa

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Rejection

 

 




Has God rejected an issue of importance to you?

Most of us feel that He has at some point, and so we quote Romans 8:28 as we attempt to encourage ourselves.

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

At times, that Scripture works. And then again, it doesn’t. Especially when rejection occurs time and again.

Well now, when the Scripture in Romans fails to do the job, we can turn to dear old Job and see what he does. That poor guy had his life twisted upside down, and his well-meaning friends added to his misery.

God was watching.

God was not intervening.

In fact, God gave Satan the okay-go ahead and do his thing.

Satan invented the happy dance, and he began a grand holiday. Lucifer removed everything but Job’s life, and since Satan made Job viciously sick, Job would have welcomed death.

God has His reasons to reject our needs, but what are they? I ran across an article written by Samuel (no last name) in 2022. Here are some reasons the writer gave for God’s rejection.

To Protect us.

 Lead us to Repentance.

For Redirection.

Focus on Jesus Christ.

Trust God More.

Build Character.

Keep us Humble.

Bring Sin to Our Attention.

Test Faith. 

 https://saintlyliving.com/reasons-why-god-allows-rejection/

Which one of those reasons listed above makes you feel better?

If you are a naturally positive person, you’d simply say, “Thank you, Lord, for building my character and keeping me humble.” Then you’d forget about the rejection as you jumped into something else.

If you are a negative thinker, you might say, “Really, Lord? I’m already down and out, why do I need humility?”

We seldom learn why God does what He does in our lives, but rejection is real, and it is painful. It disappoints and triggers setbacks.

I have experienced God shaking His finger at me and hearing Him say, “No, no, no. That’s not going to happen. Move on.”

What is there to do when rejection happens? Keep going? Try harder? Work smarter?

Or give up?

There’s that too.

Remember what God told King David about building the temple? “You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple in my name.” I Kings 8:18. David must have been disappointed, but he continued to do what he could.

It appears there are times when desire and willingness rather than a failed attempt please God more than the work itself.

And that brings comfort.



Sunday, November 26, 2023

Latest News!

 

Extra! Extra!

Hot Off the Press!


Do you hear that phrase anymore? Newsboys once stood on the corner and shouted that phrase as they sold copies of the latest news.

This day and time, we receive our updates from the Internet or TV. Newspaper sales are down, but I like the urgency in the message.

My book is here! It’s straight from the press, and I am shouting loud and clear so you can know about it.



Sarah and a Texas Christmas first appeared in eBook format under the title, Sarah and the Cowboy’s Lady.  That was many sleeps ago. Too many to count, so I decided to update this book and publish it under my pseudonym. G. N. Lewis.

Why change names, you ask?

Well, it is a long story.  With my first contract, my publisher tried to place my book, Sarah and a Mission of Love, on Amazon, but they wouldn’t accept it. The publisher came back to me and said my name, “Gay” wasn’t acceptable due to the morals at the time.

Well, okay, then, let’s put my middle initial in there and see what happens. So Gay N. Lewis became my author name, and Amazon accepted it. Yay!

Fast forward to today’s world. Behaviors have changed, and what was once unacceptable is acceptable.

Problem? My books with the name Gay N. Lewis became lost among the Gay Pride novels and literature.  If you found them at all, you might have to look through a list of titles that you hadn’t planned to see.

I thought about a pen name. How about Gabby Lewis?  Gigi Lewis? LeAnn Lewis? Lynn Lewis? Louie Lewis? Nella Lewis?

Nothing seemed right, so I decided on initials. Clive Staples Lewis used his initials, C. S., and became known to the world as C. S. Lewis.  If they worked for him, why couldn’t G. N. Lewis work for me?

Sarah, my dyslexic angel, is a delight in this book. Sarah arrives on Earth to help Emily. Emily is jilted by her fiancée, and when a police officer issues a restraint order to Emily, a disgusted Sarah kicks him in his posterior.

Sarah disguises herself as an eccentric, human senior citizen and wings her way into Emily’s life. They leave Dallas, headed for Austin, but get caught in a bizarre Texas snowstorm. The two, one angel and one human, get stranded. Now, Sarah, of course, can vanish and fly off to Timbuctoo, but Emily can’t. Sarah must find a handsome, rich, Texas cowboy to rescue Emily.

Where does she find one?  Well, don’t you know, Texas is full of them, and Sarah picks one up from the Get and Go Convenient store.

This story is full of laughs and good feelings.

 I wanted the cover to feature a Christmas tree in the middle of a field of Texas Bluebonnets. The story takes place at Christmas, but the wedding occurs in the Bluebonnet spring of Texas.  Once her mission is complete, Sarah is allowed to see into the future and she actually sees Emily and Josiah marry in the Texas field of Bluebonnets and Christmas trees.

The designer couldn’t pull that off, but I like this cover. I think you’ll love the book.

 Sarah and a Texas Christmas

 

 

Friday, November 24, 2023

Thankful after Thanksgiving

 


The Friday After Thanksgiving.

 Are you stuffed with turkey and trimmings? You may never need another bite of food, right? Are you trying to recover from overload?

Yeah, me too.

We had two at the table yesterday, my husband, Paul, and me. I didn’t cook, but we found a Saltgrass restaurant near us and enjoyed too much food.  We had no dessert. Boo! I love Lemon Ice Box Pie, and it is easy to make, but I failed to create one, and we didn’t indulge in the sugary offerings at the restaurant.

We were impressed with the lady who attended our table, and I’d like to share her story with you. We wished her a happy Thanksgiving, and then she volunteered her story.

She arrived in Houston four months ago from Cuba. Her entire family came legally to America, and she told us how grateful she is to live here. Her name is Helen, and she and the family waited a long time to come. She was excited to spend her first Thanksgiving in America, and she doesn’t take the privilege for granted.  She said, “Young people who haven’t lived in other countries don’t understand what they have in America.”

After we left the restaurant, we drove to the memory care facility where our daughter, Shelley resides. In times past, we brought her to our house for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but those days are over.  She’s too feeble now.

Her medical aide, Ajuan, was taking care of her. He managed to get her up to walk around for a bit, and we were happy to see her out of the wheelchair.

Ajuan is from Egypt, and he was a doctor in his country. He now works as a medical aid while he takes US courses for accreditation. He arrived in Houston nine months ago, and he spoke no English, but he is a whiz at English now.

I asked him why he left Egypt. “Too many wars in and around my country,” he said.  And then he went on to tell us how grateful he is to reside in America. His words mimicked the conversation we had at the restaurant with the female server.

I suspect if more Americans had lived in other countries like Helen or Ajuan, we would have more rallies cheering the goodness in America rather than multiple protests for her flaws.

        Sarah and a Texas Christmas

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Protect or Abort the Unborn?

 


To Protect or Not?


Elections across America were held during the month of November 2023. Where abortion was on the ballot, it appears abortion won in most cases. People, especially women, voted for freedom to choose what they do with a pregnancy.

Humanity has been debating whether to kill an unborn child or not since life began.

“What?” I hear you say? “That can’t be correct.”

Exodus 21:22-23 says if a man causes a woman with a child to miscarry, he must pay a financial fine. If the lady experiences lasting harm, the man can receive the death penalty. “Life for life.”

Pro-life Christians cite several Biblical passages for the sanctity of life.

1.    At creation, God formed man in His image. The sixth Commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 20:13 KJV.

 

2.    In Psalm 139 NIV, King David writes:

 

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

 

Jeremiah, Isaiah, and the Apostle Paul are among those who claim they were called by God before birth for the tasks they undertook in life.

Midwives were used in Bible days to deliver babies, and secular history tells us they also helped with abortions. These assistants used herbs, sharp tools, or bloodletting to speed the miscarriage process. They might have the patient jump up and down or lift heavy burdens.

Such methods were used for centuries, but let’s fast forward to the 1800s. Before 1821, getting an abortion was relatively easy, and less thought was given to it. Large families were common, and abortion was a birth control method.

By1850 the average woman had six to nine children. They didn’t want more kids underfoot, but the ladies had to undergo brutal methods to rid themselves of an unwanted pregnancy. They were given cocktails that could kill them, or brutal instruments were used that might cause death.

All 38 states adopted laws restricting abortion in 1850, but most states had exceptions. If a woman’s life wasn’t in jeopardy due to pregnancy, she most likely had to abort secretly.

Then came 1873 and Congress passed a law.  Guess what? If you sold contraceptives, you committed a crime.

Family size remained a huge problem. Women continued to circumvent laws and subject themselves to possible death as they aborted a child.

Fast forward to 1916. Margaret Sanger opened the first clinic for birth control. Her efforts led to the modern Planned Parenthood clinics.

Roe V. Wade changed everything. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the 14th Amendment protected abortion. Abortion became a legal birth control method.

In 2022, The Supreme Court overturned the earlier Roe V. Wade decision. No longer would women have the protected, federal right to an abortion. The decision leaves abortion laws to the states. Each state makes its own law.

Women across the land can have abortions. If the state where they live passes laws to prevent abortion, they can travel across state lines to a state that accommodates them.

Each state decides on a cutoff date for abortion, but a few citizens across the land prefer abortion after birth. Is it acceptable to deliver a healthy baby, and then kill it, all the while calling it abortion? Texas law prohibits abortion after 6 weeks (with exceptions). That’s when a heartbeat can be detected. If life ends with a heartbeat, doesn’t it also begin with one?  Virginians failed to accept a law to ban abortion (with exceptions) after 15 weeks. The unborn feels pain at 15 weeks. Is it okay for the baby to experience the shock and agony of being torn apart? Some states, like Oregon, allow abortion up to the ninth month.

I find it incongruous how many people have more compassion for the discomfort of an animal than they do for the pain of the unborn child. Are our views upside down?

I am pro-life, but I understand abortion is sometimes necessary. In my opinion, lawmakers should leave the abortion issue alone. I wish they would busy themselves with other matters like inflation, The National debt, and border security. Leave the issue of abortion alone. Give it a rest.

Whether planned or accidental, for most women, the loss of a child produces a horrendous sadness. As I face the loss of a daughter who grows sicker each day with early-onset dementia, I realize the measure of this grief.

If I had known what lay ahead for her at this date, would I have aborted her to spare her this unbearable disease? Would I rob her of the delights she had in life before her illness? Should I have robbed myself of the joys of being her mom? Fortunately, I didn’t know the future, and I didn’t know the agony of making such a choice.

Should humanity condone abortion? Allow it willy-nilly? I pose questions I have no answer for. The debate seems to have started shortly after the Garden of Eden days, and I suspect it will continue until the end of time. 

Gay's Author Page

Monday, November 6, 2023

"If you Can"

 



Your Will Be Done

Mark Chapter 9 NIV

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

 

Can you imagine telling the Lord, “If you can?”  And Jesus responds with a touch of humor when He says, “If you can?” This is a priceless Scripture. Jesus knows He can do all things, but the guy asking the question doesn’t.

 

I love this verse, and I pray: “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief.”

I’ve never doubted the Lord’s ability to do anything. My word! Look at the amazing Creation!


However, I now add the prayer “if you are willing.” In Matthew’s Gospel, we find this verse:

 

Matthew 8:2 NIV

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

I believe without doubt that God can do any and everything. Will He do it for me? Do I have enough faith? Sometimes yes, but often, no.

I am learning to ask: “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, and if You are willing, do this for me.”

After all, whose determination is best for me? His or mine?  And get this! Jesus prayed for God’s will in one of His last talks with the Father.

In the garden, before his arrest, Jesus prayed: My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” NIV Matthew 23:39

Aren’t you happy God honored His will, even if it meant rejecting His only Son’s request? Because of God’s denial to take the cup away from Jesus, we can be in God’s family.

God’s will is far better than ours.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Write That Note!

 






The Apostle Paul wrote letters, and thirteen of them are included in the New Testament. A computer would have been a huge asset, right?

In the 16th chapter of Romans, Paul thanked twenty-four people who had helped him in his ministry. Now, I’m sure he could have acknowledged thousands of others, but these twenty-four stood out at the time he was writing. By the way, ten of these were women! Yes! Women played a large part in his ministry.

The last chapter in Romans inspired a sermon for my hubby, and he preached it last Sunday. He cited a few people in each of our churches who have been a blessing to us.  He could have spent hours calling forth names, and as I listened, I kept thinking of all the folks he didn’t reference. His sermons last twenty minutes, so he didn’t have time to mention everyone.

He called a man today who had served along side him for almost 5 years before we moved to Houston. He told Billy he had been in the sermon.  Billy doesn’t live here, and he isn’t on Facebook, so he didn’t hear the sermon. Over the phone, hubby thanked him for his service, and they had a good time remembering past moments.

People should hear how they have blessed us before they leave this earth. Have you told someone in the last few days how worthy they are?  The blessing they are to you?

The sermon inspired me, and I wrote a letter to a friend. It wasn’t gushy, just a simple description of a few ways she has benefited me.

If you aren’t wordy, send a card or a text.

You may never know the difference your kind word will make in the day of your friend.

 Gay N. Lewis on Amazon

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Beauty Is Your Duty

 



During WWII, both Britain and America campaigned to women with this slogan.

Beauty Is Your Duty

Posters, newsreels, newspapers proclaimed this mantra in Allied Countries. Hitler hated red lipstick, so what did the Allies do? They launched campaigns to encourage us gals to wear it!

Red lipstick became the symbol of patriotic freedom. When red lipstick wasn’t available, women stained their lips with beet juice!

The WWII propaganda encouraged ladies to keep up a glamourous appearance. Maintaining a positive morale was important to everyone during the war front. When the public spotted a woman looking her best, the image reinforced the idea that good times would return.

Women were told they were doing their part to win the war by looking their best.

My mom and aunts wore red lipstick and looked glamorous during those days. They were slim and had gorgeous figures. Of course, back in the WWII era, food was rationed, and very little overeating was done. That helped their waistlines!

Makeup has changed over the years. As a child, I watched my fashionable aunt apply cosmetics. She sat at her dressing table and applied base, rouge (as she called it), mascara and lipstick.




The foundation for the face was from a swivel stick Max Factor. She would roll it out, and then smooth it over her face and neck.

 

Cream rouge came next. This cherry red stuff came in a petite jar and required a tiny amount to make rosy cheeks.

Once the face was done, eyes were next.

The black mascara was packaged in a petite, rectangular container, and it was accompanied with a tiny brush. She placed the brush into water, and then applied the brush to the container. When the brush had significant black stuff on it, she applied to lashes. Outlining her brows was done with a pencil.

The grand finale was the red lipstick.



After donning stillettos, she was ready to leave for work. She wasn’t fond of her 5’2” stature, and the high heels added not only to her height, but to her allure.



One day, I had ridden with her to Dallas. While we waited for  her son to come to the car, a man she knew approached. She exclaimed, “I don’t have on enough lipstick.” She grabbed her purse and remedied the situation.

My mom and her sisters never went anywhere without their nails polished. My dad served in WWII, and my mom went to see him before he was deployed. He told me she arrived with her long nails painted like American flags.

Patriotism was important back in those days. I hope it still is.

But I digress.  

I knew a lady who went to bed wearing lipstick, and she would arise before her husband awoke. She wanted to make sure her face was outfitted before she greeted him. She resides in heaven now, but she was meticulous about her appearance when she lived down here.

Another married friend wears makeup every day, and she says, “I do it for me. I feel better when I look good.”

I know a woman whose husband insists every day that she “fix her face.”

My hubby has never stipulated such a thing. I think he knows better. However, he came home one day and said, “if you’ll put on your makeup, I’ll take you to dinner.” I replied, “I’m wearing makeup.” Uh oh! I needed to refresh it, so I did. Going out to eat is a winner for me.

I have a friend who never wears face color of any kind, but she does apply sunscreen, and that is a wise thing to do.

How about you?

Do you wear makeup every day?

I don’t, but I will not leave the house without it. My Mary Kay representative once held a skin care class and asked me if I would participate. She knows me well. She said, “you will need to remove your makeup.” I told her I’d rather take off my clothes.  Well, not really, but I don’t like to appear in public unadorned.

As a young girl, I had oodles of freckles, and I was teased about them. They stood at attention on my pale skin. I once wrote a letter to a cosmetician and asked how to rid myself of them. She responded, “Apply lemon juice.” I tried this, but it didn’t work. The lemon was sticky and messy. I was relieved when my mother finally allowed me to cover those pesky spots up with foundation.

My white hair is a DNA thing. I’ve had it since my teens. My pale skin and white hair make me look rather ghostly. I’m happy cosmetics exist to enhance what I don’t have.

Skin is important. It is the largest organ on the body. When old skin cells die, new ones come along. It behooves us to take care of them. If you don’t wear color, you should at least moisturize with a good sunscreen.

Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, protect, and color. These are excellent daily steps to make a lady feel and look her best.

That WWII slogan, “Beauty is your duty,” is a good one.

Gay's Author Page

Citations:

https://glamourdaze.com/history-of-makeup/1940s

https://www.whowhatwear.com/history-of-red-lipstick

 


Saturday, August 26, 2023

Happy Cookies and High Tea


 My maternal grandmother used to make tea cakes. They looked a lot like the ones in the picture, but she didn't draw a happy face on them.

The tea cakes were a cross between a cake and a cookie. I loved them. She kept them in a tin on top of the refrigerator. 

I suppose our English ancenstors ate these little cakes at tea time in the afternoon. That was such a nice respite. When our foremothers came to America, they brought the recipe with them.

This day and time, a formal tea time doesn't exist. I've looked into fancy restaurants who offer a High Tea in Houston. Most are expensive, but they sure look elegant. Here's a link to some of the best in Houston. High Tea in Houston

I gave a tea party last May and invited a few friends. I ask everyone to wear a hat, and I gave prizes to ladies who did. The prize was an English tea cup.  Sort of like the one picture below.


I had a lot of fun. Here's a picture of me with one of my guests. She really dressed for the party. My outfit was more informal, but I wore my hat!


Do you have a snack time? If so, what do you like?

Here's the recipe for my grandmother's tea cakes. Let me know if you make them!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1.5 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 baking soda

Mix all ingredients together. Chill mixture for at least 2 hours. Roll dough into 1/8 inch thickness. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into small cakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes.

Gay's Author Page


Monday, August 21, 2023

Coconut Cake. Yum! One of my Favorites

 


Let's Have a Party!

Do you have a favorite cake?

I have several, but Mrs. Evans’ Coconut Cake remains at the top of the list.

Mrs. Evans resides in heaven now, but while she lived on earth, she was known for delights she produced in her kitchen. She was a member of our church and at potlucks, the people always looked forward to her coconut cake.

She gave the recipe to her daughter-in-law, and the young lady made the cake, but it didn’t turn out quite the same. The younger Mrs. Evans said to the senior Mrs. Evans, “What went wrong?”  Mrs. Evans shrugged and replied, “Some can and some can’t.” 

I’m one of those who can’t. Even though I meticulously follow directions, something always the results aren’t quite right.

Our daughter, Lanissa, is a wonderful cook. I asked her to make Mrs. Evans’ cake for my birthday, and she did. Wow! It was delicious. It tasted like the one I remember.



Mrs. Evans always made the cake into a three-layer beauty, but Lanissa traveled to bring the cake to me, so she made it in a sheet pan. It was easier to bring that way.

Here’s the recipe. Try it.

Coconut Butter Cake

 

CAKE


2 c. sugar

1 c butter, room temperature

4 eggs

2 c flour

1 tsp soda

½ tsp salt

1 c buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Separate eggs whites from yolks. Beat yolks and add to sugar mixture. Mix flour, soda and salt. Add alternately, butter, mild and vanilla which have been mixed. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into cake mixture. Evenly divide into two or three 9 inch pans. Bake 35-40 minutes.

ICING

¼ c butter

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese

1 tbsp vanilla

1 lb box of powdered sugar

1 tbsp cream

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, mix well. Spread on top and sides. Put coconut of top and sides.


Gay's Author Page

PBG Insider: Gay N. Lewis Introduces her "Sarah" series

Sarah at Christmas