The Ultimate Mender . . .

"Faith is . . . Remembering I am God's priceless treasure when I feel utterly worthless."
~Pamela Reeve

Back in the 1970's, I lived for a time in the province of Alberta, in Canada. I lived both in Calgary, where my oldest daughter was born, and then, up North in a small town called Stony Plain, where my youngest daughter was born, and then again, we lived for a couple of years in a place about an hour outside of Medicine Hat, called Ralston.

I loved Alberta. It was a beautiful province. When we lived in Calgary we could see the Rocky Mountains from our back doorstep. They looked so close, but in reality were several hours away, through the foothills, with their rolling beauty. The prairie too, had a simple beauty. You could see for miles and miles.



We often used to go for drives at the weekend, throughout the countryside, seeing all that we could see, visiting places we might never again have the chance to visit. Because my ex husband was in the military the risk was always there that we would be transferred at any given time to another province or even country.

One weekend, on one of our travels, we happened by a most unusual house sitting on a back road, quite near to the railway tracks. We just had to stop the car and have a look. The house was composed almost entirely from pieces of scrap and salvaged materials. Tin cans, old hubcaps, pieces of old cars, rubber tires etc. all fitted together to compose the most unusual house I have ever seen, both then and since. At first glance, it looked just like a piece of junk, but upon closer inspection it was a fine thing to behold . . . a masterpiece of salvaged materials. It was a definite curiosity and something quite interesting and also fascinating. I often wonder if, all these years later, it still stands . . .



It was only this morning as I was thinking about it that I realized that it was quite a bit like God and us. God, too, pieces back broken lives lovingly. Sometimes pieces are irretrievably lost, but still, He gathers what He can and restores us into something quite fine to behold . . . a masterpiece of salvaged materials, interesting and fascinating, and totally His . . . He is the Ultimate Mender.

Just my thoughts this fine Sunday morning.



What a busy day we had yesterday, what with the breakfast in the morning, a birthday party in the afternoon and then we were supposed to go to a talent show last night at the Stake Centre, but we were both too tired to make it. I hope that it went well. We did go for a walk in the Orchards with Jess later in the day and picked up some windfalls, just one of the pleasures in the autumn of being surrounded almost completely by orchards. Once back home I decided to make Todd a real treat and bake his choice from the Make Me Bake poll tie from last week . . .



*Lumber Camp Apple Pie*
Makes one 9 inch pie

This is a most unusual pie, in that the top crust ends up being the bottom, all crisp and covered with deliciously sweet and spicy cooked apple. We both really love this. I had forgotten all about it until I was looking for a recipe to put into my make me bake apple poll last week. I am so glad I found it and that you all were discerning enough to choose this one for me to bake. We both thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. It's truly delicious, and oh so very easy to execute!

a 9 inch pie plate
1 tsp softened butter
5 to 6 tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
a pinch of salt
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS cold butter
sufficient pie pastry to cover the top of the pie
(Your own recipe or ready made)
To serve:
3/4 cup of whipping cream
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla or rose water

Pre-heat the oven to 450*F/230*C. Butter the pie plate generously with the softened butter. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and set this, too, aside.

Place the brown sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix well to combine.

Fill the prepared pie dish evenly with the apple slices, mounding them slightly higher than the rim of the dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over top, probing gently with the tip of a knife, to help distribute the apples evenly down through the top layers. Chop the cold butter into little bits and dot it over top.

Cover the top of the apples with the prepared pastry. Trim and crimp the edges. Make a tiny slash in the centre, only about 1/4 inch long, to allow for any steam to escape.

Place on the tinfoil lined baking sheet and then place it into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C and continue to bake the pie for another 40 to 50 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown.

Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. When ready to serve. Loosen the crust around the edges very carefully with a sharp knife. Place a large flat serving plate over top of the pie and carefully turn it over. Lift off the pie plate very carefully.

Whip the cream until beginning to thicken. Add the sugar and flavouring and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Spread decoratively over the apples and serve immediately. Enjoy!



PS - I wonder if you could all spare a few prayers for my lovely friend Erin and her husband Patrick right now. They could sure use them and I thank you very much.