This morning, my friend Gaye gave me the gift of time. Here is how it went down:
It is 5 AM and from an early morning sleepy fog, I can hear my cell phone ringing in the other room. Once awake I jump up and run to silence the phone. It is my neighbor Gaye’s daughter, Abigail. Abigail and a friend are flying to California today and her sweet frantic voice says “Miss Catherine I’m so sorry to wake you up but we are on the way to the airport and I forgot my wallet. Can you go to my house and get it and meet us?”
Immediately I spring into action. I throw on some clothes, gently pull our bedroom door closed and head for my car. On the way to their house, I call Abigail and ask if the house is locked and if there are lights on. I also need to know where Abigail’s brother Nathan is in the house. My mind and my heart are racing faster than the Olympians I saw running a relay last night!
I sure don’t want to frighten Nathan and end up getting hit over the head with a baseball bat! My imagination is running wild as I am set for a relay this morning. As it turns out there was no worry about Nathan. Nothing was going to wake him up on this early morning including many phone calls his sister had made to the house.
As I maneuver my car through the early morning darkness on the back country roads of Tennessee I feel alive and excited that I am a part of this relay team. I reach over and feel the wallet on the front seat of the car. Yes, I am prepared for the handoff. With quick adept movement, I dodge a tree limb that has fallen during the night. I make a quick phone call to Abigail to make sure I am on the right road for the meet-up. Only minutes pass when I see their car lights. In the 45 minutes since I got that first call I had not seen another car on the road. But why would I? The world is asleep at this time of the early morning. My heart is beating fast as I pull to the side of the road. I fling open the door and Gaye is instantly at my side. A quick hug, many thanks and a perfectly executed hand-off!
I stood, breathing heavy calling out “don’t speed and be careful!” I am pretty sure she didn’t hear me as the gravel kicked up from her little car as she sped off. Whew. As her car lights grow small in the distance, darkness creeps around me once more. I slowly make my way back through the curvy country roads thanking God for the extra time I have before getting ready for church this morning. I think I’ll share a winning recipe of Cherry Coca Cola Salad! The End.
Your morning may or may not have been this exciting. But one thing I can tell you – this is a winning Cherry Coca Cola Salad recipe! My friend, Linda, served this at a get-together last spring. Much to my amazement I absolutely loved it at first bite! First of all, I don’t care much for cherry anything and this salad uses a can of cherry pie filling. Second of all the jello base is … black cherry. And finally, I typically don’t like the texture combination of nuts and jello and this salad contains crushed pecans. A trifecta of “don’t likes!”
But, apparently, when all this mixes together magic happens because this is a delicious, easy-to-make, winning combination! I hope you like it too!
Have an award-winning blessed Sunday!
~Catherine
P.S. I wonder if I am watching just a little too much of the Olympics?
As I finish this post I receive a text from Gaye. The girls made it to the airport in time to make their flight. Yeah God!
- 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
- ½ cup water
- 2 - 3 oz. boxes black cherry Jello
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 12 ounces regular coca cola
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- Drain pineapple and combine the juice with the water. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in jello. Stir well and add pie filling and the cola.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring once during this time.
- Add pineapple and pecans. Stir well. Pour into a jello mold or a 9" x 13" dish.
- Chill overnight or until completely set.
- Enjoy!
I’ve used this story several times as one of the most selfless things anyone has ever done for me. It describes your character perfectly that you are the kind of friend who would gladly get up in the middle of the night to drive 20 miles without a second thought. I love you!
What an exciting way to start your Sunday morning! Your description of your race was so vivid I felt like I was actually watching and cheering you on!
The Lord certainly had you in the right place at the right time. Gaye is blessed to have a friend like you!
Thank you Bonnie – truly I am the blessed one! What a gift in a neighbor! 🙂