Prairie View

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Maranatha Cookbook

Yesterday I got a cookbook in the mail, and today I leafed through all 620 pages of it. Contributors of recipes were people who were associated with Maranatha Christian School near Sugarcreek, OH at some time during the 40 years it has been in operation. I taught there from 1971 to 1977.

I remembered that I had contributed some recipes earlier, and could not recall what they were, so that was one reason for leafing through it--to find my own recipes. But what really made me smile was seeing the recipes from former students of mine, and fellow teachers. I looked at some of the names and wondered if they could be children of "my" children.

I loved the pictures of my students. Although I know they have all changed, and some of them I would hardly recognize if I met, on those pictures they look familiar and precious. My eyes linger on each face, and I recall what I know about how they have lived their adult lives. I'm gratified at the number who are living faithful Christian lives. Among them are people who have served as missionaries, nurses, teachers, and ministers. Others are contractors, craftsmen, farmers, and homemakers. One of them is my brother in law. Some have not made wise choices, and their families grieve. Two of them died as adults in separate traffic accidents.

I have no idea how many different individuals contributed to this recipe collection, but I know that others who were eligible did not do so. Sometimes I can figure out why. They are living overseas, for example.

Some of my students had names I had never heard before--Durlan and Delon were such, and Marion, in my experience, was spelled with an "a" and used for a girl. Bena, Dena, Tena, and Esta were all women or girls' names in the community--new and strange to me. I had heard "Dallas" but didn't know anyone by that name until I met the three boys with that name in the church I attended in Ohio. In school, at a time when my last name was still Miller, I had two students with the same first and last name as mine. It was there that I first heard Clement and Lael and Jeriah, Darius, and Tryphena used in modern times. I never knew a person with the first name Martin before either.

I saw lots of good recipes on my way through the cookbook. Whenever I prepare a dish that one of my students has contributed, I will have another chance to think happily of that long ago time in life when our paths crossed. Blessedly so.

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