I recently was asked to give a devotional at our teacher’s meeting at Benton Academy. As I contemplated about what to talk about, I thought about the similarities between a teacher and a mother. We both bring up our children to be strong, well-behaved individuals. We want them to study hard, do well in their academics, and excel in whatever endeavors they choose.
At our school, as well as many others, we are allowed to worship God, have devotionals, and pray on a daily basis. For this, I am most proud. I believe that those schools that don’t allow prayer are missing out on some of the most fundamental beliefs and the most important beliefs that our children need to hear.
I love hearing the morning devotion each day and the prayer that goes along with it. I want to be able to talk to my students about God because I often think that may be the only time they hear about God’s word.
Mothers and teachers share many roles. They both love their children, want the best for them, and are there with them until the bitter end.
Pray for our mothers, teachers, and young people as we begin a new school year.
I hope you will enjoy today’s recipe. Thanks for reading.
BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD
1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
8 oz. bow-tie pasta
1 lb. fresh broccoli
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
8 – 10 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain well. Cut broccoli florets from stems and into small pieces. Mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, toss broccoli, onion, grapes, and pasta with mayonnaise mixture, cover and chill overnight. Add pecans and bacon just before serving.
LEMON TARTS
2 pkg. already prepared Filo pastry tarts (in frozen section – 15 per package
1 can Eagle Brand
½ cup lemon juice
2 egg yolks
Lemon zest from one lemon
Whipped topping
Chopped Maraschino cherries
Mix Eagle Brand, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest; refrigerate. Just before serving, fill Filo pastry tarts with lemon filling, top with whipped topping and a cherry slice.
BANANA NUT BREAD
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. soda
¾ cups chopped pecans
2 cups mashed bananas, 5 – 6 very ripe bananas
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift in flour, salt, and soda together; add to creamed mixture. Mash bananas and add to vanilla; add nuts to bananas. Blend all together and pour into 2 oiled and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.
