My Grandmother Negley was always most comfortable in the kitchen. On Sunday night our family would gather around her kitchen table to enjoy the weekly meal of fried chicken and milk gravy, mashed potatoes, succotash, and her brownies for dessert. When I think of her home, I picture her in the kitchen.

It’s not unusual, then, for Grandmother’s cooking to hold a place in my holiday memories. The setting at this season was her dining room table, and the buffet, and a few TV trays for extra space. At Christmas the whole room would be filled with platters of holiday treats. It’s been quite a while since I stood in that room surrounded by the scents and smells of this seasonal fare. There may have been Christmas cookies, because during the year her tollhouse cookies were a staple. There may have been fudge, and her iced brownies were always waiting in the fridge. While many of the trays are a faint blur, I am certain that Grandmother made divinity.

My grandmother created her divinity with heavenly skill. The fluffy, sweet, white confection was something I could not resist. And she made her divinity with a down to earth sensitivity. Most of the adults in my family loved the taste with nuts, and they had their plate. At that point in my life, though, I preferred that nothing compete with the taste of sugar. Caring about the simple tastes of some children, there were always tins filled with plain, delicious divinity.

Sometimes the simple things are the best. Divinity still reminds me of the love and care of childhood.

Divinity

2 cups granulated sugar             ¾ cup white Karo syrup
1 egg (white only)                        1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped nuts          1 cup hot water

Mix sugar, Karo syrup and hot water and boil until it threads. Stir into beaten egg white. Add vanilla and chopped nuts. Beat until creamy and drop with a spoon onto a buttered platter.

Matthew 2:1-6

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[b]”

Prayer

God of mystery, the wise men came searching for the King of the Jews who had been born in Bethlehem. The prophecy had stated that he would be a ruler and would shepherd his people Israel, seemingly being one who was to be served and who would serve. Indeed Jesus fulfilled that role being both divine and human. We thank you for his teachings, bidding us to pray for our daily bread and to realize that we do not live by bread alone. We thank you for our food and your word, which are our daily provisions. Amen.

~ Steve Negley