Gloria’s pumpkin cheesecake bars
Submitted photo
Supper and singing nights are always a highlight for me.
I can’t say it’s always been like that. When I had a handful of real young children, it just seemed like evening services were something they had marked. My training to teach them how to sit still seemed to fall flat on those evenings when I was supposed to be singing with church family.
Today, they have matured enough to know how to sit (at least most times), and most of them are old enough to help sing or even choose a song.
Last Sunday my cousin Judith and her husband hosted the services and invited everyone back for supper and singing. Since we have a number of folks who don’t have a basement or shop suited for hosting everyone in church we end up having it at the schoolhouse most of the time. Gathering in a home adds a personal touch we enjoy.
The children are aching to have church at our house again like we did before Daddy went to heaven. We’ll see, maybe it’ll fall into place next summer when we’ll be taking a turn to host at school or at home.
To be really honest, what I enjoyed most about hosting church at our house was listing to Daniel as he welcomed everyone and made announcements. I felt like I could just sit there and listen to him for hours. Having church without him feels like a bell with no ring; on the flip side I am quickly reminded that to every empty spot God keeps bringing something better than what I had given back to him. At any rate we’ll wait and see what works out when the time comes. Know what? Perhaps you all should just come and be with us that Sunday!
For now, join us as we attend supper and singing at Jeremy and Judith’s house. It was 5:10 when the children and I walked out the lane together.
In ten minutes, we had stepped into Judith’s cozy kitchen, where she was putting last-minute touches on supper. With a bunch of ladies it didn’t take long to carry her meatball sub sandwich fixings, corn chip salad, pumpkin bars, and ice cream to the shop.
Jeremy got everyone gathered together and asked one of the brothers to pray the blessing on the food. A table with food stood to one side for the men and another for the ladies, both food stages next to the benches where they would be seated for supper then the singing.
The older ladies filled their plates first, then the mom’s with little children came next. The supper combination looked scrumptious. The co-jack cheese melted on the barbecued meatballs. Eating the sandwiches required some extra napkins, but that’s okay, that’s the way I like mine. If it’s moist enough to be messy it’s bound to be good.
Taking a bite from my dessert I eyeballed it again. What was in there? It was chewy but soft, and bursting with flavor, much like a cheesecake. Still, it was a pumpkin bar. After supper I quizzed Judith about it and asked for the recipe. Hang on, and I’ll get it for you once we are done chatting here.
After supper, us ladies washed up the dishes in totes of hot water, which Jeremy had brought from the house. With two ladies washing, one on either side of the table and a half a dozen wiping, it didn’t take long to have the clean dishes staked back in the proper totes where they would be stored until next Sunday.
While Judith finished putting leftovers away, the rest of us started singing in the shop. The first half hour is usually filled with German songs, followed by the man of the house sharing a devotional then English singing for another 45 minutes.
This time we sang from the Mountain Laurel songbooks which a friend of ours compiled.
As we sang of heaven my heart swelled with joy, knowing that I too, will one day be called to go home to heaven, the tears came. Yes, it was like a deep river of joy mingled with that sadness of missing my beloved. Mrs. Pertler, who is also a widow, put it into perfect words when she wrote,” It’s possible to cry both happy and sad tears all at the same time. It is possible to find true joy even when you are hurting.” That’s it.
By 8:00 a parting song was sung with the words, “With my eyes fixed on Jesus I can face another day…” True, it really does not matter what happens in life, it’ll really all be okay, because there is one greater than us to lead the way though it all.
The children ran out to play a game of tag in the semi-darkness. Soon it was time to head on home and tuck everyone to bed, ready for another week of school, another week of clasping the hand of the One who knows it all.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS
Crust: 2 cups flour
10 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
Mix altogether and reserve 1 ¾ cup for topping. Put the rest in a 9 by 13 inch cake pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden.
Filling:
2- 8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice or pumpkin pie spice
Spread filling on top of crust then sprinkle reserved crust ingredients and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for an additional 30 minutes. Cool and enjoy. Delicious with ice cream!
